Hey friends —

Some of you know I’ve been dealing with a spinal injury from work as a paramedic, and I had surgery earlier this month. What a lot of folks don’t realize is that I’m currently not receiving any pay through workers’ comp — my claim has been tied up in a dispute with the county, and it’s been a slow, frustrating process to sort out.

Right now the only income coming into our household is what my wife Rosemary is able to bring in, and it’s been tight. The mortgage, the utilities, and everything else that keeps a household running doesn’t pause while a claim gets sorted out — and with three young boys at home, there’s not a lot of margin to begin with.

I’ve spent 14 years in EMS here in south Texas, and I’m a volunteer firefighter on top of that. Fourteen years of showing up for other people on their worst day, no questions asked, because that’s what this work is about. I never expected to be the one asking for help — but I’d rather ask than watch Rosemary carry this alone while I deal with recovery.

If you’re able to give anything, it goes directly toward:

• Household bills and mortgage while my income is on hold

• Keeping our three young boys taken care of and our household steady

• Keeping us afloat until the comp dispute is resolved

And if you’re not able to give right now, a share goes just as far — the more people who see this, the better our shot at getting through it.

Thank you to everyone who’s already checked in on us. It means more than you know.

— Joel