On November 6, 2024, my life changed in an instant. I was driving on the interstate when an intoxicated felon, fleeing law enforcement, crossed the median and hit me head-on at highway speed. He was driving a borrowed car, had no insurance, and was killed instantly. It took emergency crews 30 minutes to cut me out of my truck, and I spent the next three months in the hospital fighting to recover. During that time, I lost my job and was left without health care for almost a year. I went from a successful career to relying on disability income. To survive, I had to max out my credit cards and use up my life savings and 401(k). Now, I am facing significant debt, and the financial strain has been overwhelming.

My recovery has been long and difficult. I just had my sixth surgery, and the bone is still not growing as it should. Nearly two years after the accident, I am still unable to return to work and need help covering my living expenses and paying off the debt that has piled up. As a 58-year-old veteran, I am grateful for the support my friends and family have given me, but I know it's not easy for them to keep giving. That's why I am reaching out to people I don't know, hoping to find support from those who can help me get back on my feet. Any contribution, no matter the size, would mean the world to me as I continue this journey toward healing and stability.