The Van Fund

First, thank you for taking the time to read my story.

The Van Fund is a fundraiser I started to help me afford a new (used) van. I'm currently road tripping around the U.S. and have found myself in some trouble. My current vehicle is in real rough shape but has now reached a critical point where I'm uncertain it'll make it much further.

Overheating going from Kansas City, KS to Minneapolis, MN

For the past few months, I've been driving my 2001 Chevy S10 with no power steering, no air conditioning and a variety of other smaller issues. For the most part, I've gotten by fine, but now its began leaking coolant at the water pump and most likely isn't going to last much longer and has me feeling stuck. It's far too expensive to fix and the truck just isn't worth putting more into it after I've already put so much into it.

I've been trying to save money to purchase a reliable, full-size van that I can continue my journey across the country and convert into a camper van that would allow me to go "off grid" at times and continue pursuing my greater purpose in this life.

To say the least, the last 12 months have been absolutely insane. In February I was evicted and became homeless for the first time ever in my life. A week later I found myself in jail with some lofty charges hanging over my head. I had hit rock bottom. After 10 days, I was bonded out by a great friend and I tried to get my life back on the right track but struggled to find work and didn't know what I wanted to do with my life.

Since then, so much has happened that it'd make your head spin, however, to summarize, I'm clear of all legal charges and I've found my calling in life.

Without a doubt, the stress and trauma that I've endured through the last 12 months, have changed me at my core. I was forced to look inward and make some extremely hard choices, but it's all led me to meeting some of the greatest people I've ever met and also in that I found myself. For the first time in my life, I feel like I get to be who I am and not pretend to be the person I thought people wanted me to be. I've never been more open and transparent in my life and I've never felt more free.

With all of that said, anything helps whether it be monetary or sharing the fundraiser link, thank you for showing your support. I love you all.

I am the luckiest person in the world, and everything will always work out for me.