Eddie's Eyesight Fund
Donation protected
This is a picture of Eddie Jacoby.
Eddie’s view of the world is different than most; his view is like looking through a heavily frosted piece of glass. Imagine losing your eyesight. If you think about it, you rely on it for everything: working, driving, cooking, choosing clothes to wear each day, and even choosing items at the grocery store. Eddie is becoming blind. At this point he is what you would term legally blind. Blind from cataracts - something that can be surgically remedied.
It broke his daughter’s heart when he told her the last time he tried to drive, he had to pull over, get out of the car, and walk up the road to the street sign just to see it and make sure he was going down the right road. Yes, he shouldn’t have been driving, but he was trying to get to work.
Unfortunately, Eddie doesn’t have to make it to work anymore; he doesn’t have a job because he cannot see. Eddie has worked the majority of his life as a concrete laborer with no health benefits, and like many of us, didn’t make enough money to put away in case a health emergency struck. Since he is only 61, Eddie is not eligible for Medicare and has essentially “fallen through the cracks”, like so many other aging persons.
His passion for music and art enabled him in the past to make some extra money for basic necessities, but now that he cannot see, he can’t finish his paintings or even drive himself to music gigs to make his grocery and gas money - just basic necessities.
Something had to be done. He just couldn’t be left to live the rest of his life like this, so the research and endless phone calls began. Thanks to the dream of one eye surgeon in Fresno, California, one day a year on 'Mission Cataract Day', hundreds of people throughout the United States are given the gift of sight at no cost to them or to Medicare, Medicaid or private insurance. After his application was submitted, Mission Cataract USA has been willing to sponsor Eddie’s cataract surgery! This has been such a tremendous blessing!! But that isn’t all the help he needs.
Eddie currently is staying in Keystone Heights (he does not have his 'own place' for lack of rent money at this time) and he will need to be driven to Sarasota, FL for the initial consultation, and at least 4 additional trips back to Sarasota for the two surgeries and their follow-up appointments.
This Go Fund Me is being sponsored so we can ALL PULL TOGETHER and get the funds needed to give Eddie his life back - his sight, his ability to drive, to go back to work, to return to his music on a regular basis, and to return to his art. All donations will go directly to Eddie.
Funds raised will be used to help alleviate trip expenses to Sarasota such as gas, meals, lodging as required, and any medications that may be needed such as eye drops, etc. as well as provide finances for general living expenses (groceries, catching up bills, fixing his vehicle so it is road-worthy once his sight is restored, and he is ready to return to work as a concrete laborer).
TOGETHER, WE CAN GIVE THE GIFT OF SIGHT!!!! Any donation, large or small, will help him on the journey that he so well deserves. Our goal is $3500.00.
Would you consider donating to help this wonderful and wonderfully talented man get his sight AND his life back? No amount is too small and will be greatly appreciated by Eddie and his family and those who care about him.
Thank you so much!
UPDATE:
North Central Florida Blues Society will be hosting a benefit in Eddie's honor on Sunday, June 14th at the Dirty Bar in Gainesville, FL.
As a loved and talented member of this music community, many want to give back some of what Eddie has given us over the years with his performances and his genuine and kind nature towards all.
The “Play It Forward Benefit for Eddie” will have performances by many talented artists.
Participating bands will be:
Jacoby Brothers Band
Pete Karnes Blues Band
Little Mike & the Tornadoes
Bridget Kelly Band
Middleground
Shaky Earle
Bubba Can't Dance
Root Redemption
Tropical Whiskey Band
Mojo Blue
Order of performance to be announced shortly. Thanks to all of these fantastic musicians for participating! NCFBS is touched by the generous spirit of these artists.
Updates can be found at www.ncfblues.org and the North Central Florida Blues Society's Facebook page . Admission will be $5, but any additional donations will be accepted and appreciated.
Please save this date and put it on your calendar!
For all details about the '"Play It Forward Benefit for Eddie", please visit the Facebook Event page at:
https://www.facebook.com/events/457144947785932/
Eddie’s view of the world is different than most; his view is like looking through a heavily frosted piece of glass. Imagine losing your eyesight. If you think about it, you rely on it for everything: working, driving, cooking, choosing clothes to wear each day, and even choosing items at the grocery store. Eddie is becoming blind. At this point he is what you would term legally blind. Blind from cataracts - something that can be surgically remedied.
It broke his daughter’s heart when he told her the last time he tried to drive, he had to pull over, get out of the car, and walk up the road to the street sign just to see it and make sure he was going down the right road. Yes, he shouldn’t have been driving, but he was trying to get to work.
Unfortunately, Eddie doesn’t have to make it to work anymore; he doesn’t have a job because he cannot see. Eddie has worked the majority of his life as a concrete laborer with no health benefits, and like many of us, didn’t make enough money to put away in case a health emergency struck. Since he is only 61, Eddie is not eligible for Medicare and has essentially “fallen through the cracks”, like so many other aging persons.
His passion for music and art enabled him in the past to make some extra money for basic necessities, but now that he cannot see, he can’t finish his paintings or even drive himself to music gigs to make his grocery and gas money - just basic necessities.
Something had to be done. He just couldn’t be left to live the rest of his life like this, so the research and endless phone calls began. Thanks to the dream of one eye surgeon in Fresno, California, one day a year on 'Mission Cataract Day', hundreds of people throughout the United States are given the gift of sight at no cost to them or to Medicare, Medicaid or private insurance. After his application was submitted, Mission Cataract USA has been willing to sponsor Eddie’s cataract surgery! This has been such a tremendous blessing!! But that isn’t all the help he needs.
Eddie currently is staying in Keystone Heights (he does not have his 'own place' for lack of rent money at this time) and he will need to be driven to Sarasota, FL for the initial consultation, and at least 4 additional trips back to Sarasota for the two surgeries and their follow-up appointments.
This Go Fund Me is being sponsored so we can ALL PULL TOGETHER and get the funds needed to give Eddie his life back - his sight, his ability to drive, to go back to work, to return to his music on a regular basis, and to return to his art. All donations will go directly to Eddie.
Funds raised will be used to help alleviate trip expenses to Sarasota such as gas, meals, lodging as required, and any medications that may be needed such as eye drops, etc. as well as provide finances for general living expenses (groceries, catching up bills, fixing his vehicle so it is road-worthy once his sight is restored, and he is ready to return to work as a concrete laborer).
TOGETHER, WE CAN GIVE THE GIFT OF SIGHT!!!! Any donation, large or small, will help him on the journey that he so well deserves. Our goal is $3500.00.
Would you consider donating to help this wonderful and wonderfully talented man get his sight AND his life back? No amount is too small and will be greatly appreciated by Eddie and his family and those who care about him.
Thank you so much!
UPDATE:
North Central Florida Blues Society will be hosting a benefit in Eddie's honor on Sunday, June 14th at the Dirty Bar in Gainesville, FL.
As a loved and talented member of this music community, many want to give back some of what Eddie has given us over the years with his performances and his genuine and kind nature towards all.
The “Play It Forward Benefit for Eddie” will have performances by many talented artists.
Participating bands will be:
Jacoby Brothers Band
Pete Karnes Blues Band
Little Mike & the Tornadoes
Bridget Kelly Band
Middleground
Shaky Earle
Bubba Can't Dance
Root Redemption
Tropical Whiskey Band
Mojo Blue
Order of performance to be announced shortly. Thanks to all of these fantastic musicians for participating! NCFBS is touched by the generous spirit of these artists.
Updates can be found at www.ncfblues.org and the North Central Florida Blues Society's Facebook page . Admission will be $5, but any additional donations will be accepted and appreciated.
Please save this date and put it on your calendar!
For all details about the '"Play It Forward Benefit for Eddie", please visit the Facebook Event page at:
https://www.facebook.com/events/457144947785932/
Organizer and beneficiary
Debby Strickland
Organizer
Keystone Heights, FL
Jennifer Jacoby
Beneficiary