DEER PARK, Ohio — A Deer Park man is asking for help after a car crash wrecked his wheelchair-accessible van, leaving him stuck at home for the last ten days.
“My van is my everything,” Gene Goss said. “It really does halt your life and you're stuck.”
Goss is a spinal cord injury survivor. That injury left him paralyzed from the waist down. Without accessible transportation, he hasn’t been able to leave his home for work, appointments or to see friends or family.
“That has really put a damper on income,” he said.
Goss said he loves being around people. At home, he’s relied on YouTube, cleaning and baking to pass time.
“It plays on your mental health in a sense,” he said.
Goss said he had coverage to help pay for damage, but he found it had expired just before his crash.
He turned to strangers for help, hoping to raise money for repairs (if they’re possible) or a down payment on a new wheelchair-accessible van.
“I had never done a GoFundMe,” he said. “I went ahead and just took a chance and put one up.”
That was nine days ago. Since then, he’s raised more than $5,500, which is just about $2,000 shy of his goal.
“I started seeing the donations come in and from people all over the community,” he said. “Workmates, friends, family, old schoolmates.”
Goss said he was completely shocked.
“It’s really given me some hope,” he said. “And is getting me out of a little funk that I'm in.”
While the money has been a blessing, the kindness has meant even more.
“Even if the donations weren't even close to $1,000, I'm just still grateful,” Goss said. “The fact that people take the time to read my bio, and to read what's going on and just consider me.”
If you’d like to support Goss you can donate to his fundraiser here.
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