Daniela Gomez Collins

Hello, I'm Daniela, Tim's future wife. I'm writing this because Tim can't right now. For those who don't know this amazing human, Tim has the biggest heart in the world and immense talent, he is a one of a kind soul. He also has quietly shaped the digital products millions of people use every day. As a product designer at Facebook, Instagram, and Dropbox during their most formative years, Tim helped build the experiences that defined a generation of technology. Along the way, he earned the trust and admiration of those that worked close to him, including myself when we worked together at the company where we met and eventually fell in love. He is the love of my life, and I am lucky to be the closest human to him in this world. I could talk about Tim for days. Tim is one of those rare people who is a true creator. He will surface your best ideas, and bring them down to earth and give them love and shape. He is also one of the kindest, most generous people you'll ever meet. The kind of person who mentors without being asked, who shows up for the people around him, who gives more than he takes. A rare human who genuinely always means well and seeks to connect with humans on the most profound level, and one that seeks to serve his community by following the word of God. Leading with discipline and light. Like many people in our industry and beyond, Tim has navigated mental health challenges throughout his life. He has always been proactive about seeking help—doing the hard work of therapy, and being incredibly disciplined with full sobriety, fitness, and wellness practices. He also placed a fundamental trust in the medical system to support him. That trust was betrayed and he now needs the most support during the most challenging time of his life. So what happened? From 2023 to 2025 Tim ended up in the care of a psychiatric provider who, over the course of treatment, caused severe iatrogenic harm…meaning the medical care itself made him sicker. The provider prescribed clonazepam (Klonopin), a benzodiazepine, for long-term daily use, violating FDA guidelines that recommend a maximum of four weeks. Tim has been on a high dose of 2mg for almost two years. He was never warned about the risks. When he asked questions, he was told it was "not that bad." He trusted his doctor. He did what patients are supposed to do, which is to rely on their providers for guidance. He was working a high stress job and simply wanted to improve his quality of life. Tim was also placed on a cocktail of medications, a pattern of Polypharmacy so reckless that it resulted in a medical crisis that nearly took his life in July of 2025. By this time I was with him, and everyone close to him knew he was in the worst pain of his entire life. He was hospitalized and he was forced to stop working. It was a deeply traumatic experience for him and all of us who love him. What Tim didn't know (and what his provider failed to disclose) is that benzodiazepines cause worsening effects over time. The very symptoms he sought help for were being amplified by the medication prescribed to treat them. What should have been a manageable recovery became a life-threatening ordeal at the hands of someone he trusted. So it’s not just the trauma of near-death but also incremental damage as long as he takes this drug. The path ahead Tim is now safely under the care of specialists at the Cleveland Clinic's Psychiatric Treatment-Resistance Program: one of the most advanced programs in the world, and one of few that can handle cases of complex iatrogenic harm like Tim's. Their team found the root cause of the challenges Tim faces, and there's a science-backed, direct path forward. Tim faces a benzodiazepine taper that will take approximately 62 weeks. Tapering off long-term benzodiazepines cannot be rushed (reducing too quickly risks seizures and severe neurological consequences + death). The process is unstable and unpredictable. There are good days and devastating ones. His nervous system is healing, but on its own timeline. In addition to the taper, Tim's treatment plan at Cleveland Clinic includes a series of neuropsychiatric procedures to systematically restore stability in his brain. These include: - Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT) - Stellate Ganglion Blocks (SGB) - Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) - Implanted vagus nerve pacemaker His medical team has been clear: this is neurological damage, and the path to recovery requires time away from work, consistent care, and the space to heal without the pressure of survival hanging over every day. These procedures will leave Tim unable to work for the foreseeable future. Each one comes with its own recovery period, its own set of challenges, and its own demands on his body and mind. The day-to-day reality is that Tim needs help with things most of us take for granted, getting through the severe, debilitating fluctuations that come with neurological recovery, maintaining stability during the taper, and simply being able to rest and feel peace as much as he possibly can. Unfortunately, Tim has lived like this since July of 2024 and all psychiatric symptoms have worsened over time… his job, his craft, and his relationships. --- How the funds will be used We are keeping our runway as lean as possible. Every dollar goes toward getting Tim through treatment and back on his feet.     •    Medical costs: Treatment copays, specialist visits, procedures, and prescriptions not fully covered by insurance     •    Basic living expenses: Mortgage, utilities, groceries, and health insurance premiums for the duration of treatment     •    Medical debt: Minimum payments on bills accumulated during the 2024-2025 crisis We are not asking for comfort, we are asking for stability. Tim needs the space to heal without the financial pressure undermining the treatment itself. I, Daniela am the primary care taker for him and at this point in Tim's journey unable to commit to a full time role. I am hoping that as the procedures benefits compound and the taper is improving his condition, I can begin working again. In Tim's own words: "I am fully committed to recovering, and just want to get back to building things that bring more light, knowledge, and creativity to the world. That’s my purpose in life." We all know he will, he is the strongest person I know, and he has so much light within. If Tim's work has ever been part of your life: as a friend, co-worker, in the periphery within the same community, you know how talented, amazing and full of life he truly is. Now he needs his community to show up for him. Any amount helps. Sharing this campaign helps (We also wish to spread awareness through his case about misprescribed benzodiazepines and patient advocacy when given psychiatric medications). Sending Tim a note of encouragement also helps. He is fighting the hardest battle of his life, and knowing that people are in his corner makes a difference. Thank you for reading this far. Thank you for caring. Thank you for helping Tim feel stable while he takes a very well deserved rest. With deep gratitude, Daniela Gomez Collins Resources: Benzo Information Coalition Organization dedicated to help individuals and provide information related to the serious impact Benzos can have on people. Including prescribing and de-prescribing risks, de-stigmatization of abuse and class actions and lawsuits. Cleveland Clinic Treatment-Resistant Psychiatric Program