Emergency Funds for Jeremy and Lena

Jeremy (32) and Lena Carmignani (35) have lived their whole lives in the South Sound region, including places such as Auburn and Spanaway. They recently had their first child together, a boy named Joseph. Under normal circumstances, this would be a joyous time in their lives, but Jeremy and Lena are currently facing a slew of crises, including Lena having Stage 4 cancer, the couple being unhoused, and their van being stolen and totaled just days ago. This most recent event was devastating, and it put the couple in dire straits.

On Sunday, August 21, Jeremy and Lena were driving their van to the hospital to get Lena pain medication for her cancer. The van ran out of gas, so Lena walked to the hospital while Jeremy refilled the vehicle with a bit of fuel from a gas can and drove to the Shell gas station by Wright Park. He had pulled up by the gas pumps and stepped out of the car, when a man jumped into the vehicle and attempted to drive away, despite the emergency brake being on. Jeremy did his best to stop the thief, going as far as launching his upper body through the open window, but eventually he was thrown from the van as the man pulled away. At this point, all Jeremy could do was watch as the van careened down North I Street, crashing into parked cars and running up onto curbs and sidewalks with reckless abandon. Even after the vehicle was out of sight, Jeremy continued to hear what he described as the “haunting thunder” of the van slamming into more objects.

An hour later, the van was discovered just blocks away from where it was stolen, abandoned in the middle of the road. Its fender was torn off, its windshield was starred, its front two tires were completely flat, and the wheel wells were destroyed. It was totaled. When the thief ditched the car, he took Jeremy’s phone and wallet, which had been sitting in the van.

This would be a horrible day for anyone, but for Jeremy and Lena, it was even worse. Lena was recently diagnosed with Stage 4 cervical cancer, which has spread to numerous other organs. She is beginning an intensive chemotherapy and radiation treatment plan to save her life. Now they have no vehicle to use to get Lena to her appointments. As we all know, life-saving treatments in the United States are terribly expensive, and adding the cost of towing and replacing the vehicle to their already strained budget is a devastating blow to Jeremy and Lena.

Prior to her cancer diagnosis, Lena worked in caregiving, but her declining state of health and miserable pain made it impossible for her to continue working. Jeremy is typically employed in general construction, but during the pandemic he was forced into part-time work. When Lena’s health began to deteriorate, Jeremy’s employment dwindled into the occasional odd job, as his time was taken up with caring for Lena and connecting with doctors to formulate a plan to combat the cancer. As of right now, they are currently unhoused and are in great need of financial help.

Jeremy and Lena purchased the van via OfferUp from the owner of a towing company, who told them the vehicle had legitimate license plates and was in legal driving condition. However, barely a week after they bought the van, Jeremy and Lena had a scary encounter with Tacoma Police, who dragged them from the vehicle with their guns drawn. They put the couple in a squad car and subsequently interrogated them on suspicion of possessing a stolen vehicle. Eventually, the cops confirmed that Jeremy's and Lena’s story of how they acquired the van was true. The police then let them go, but not before they literally ripped the plates off the front and back of the van, and told Jeremy and Lena that they had to purchase new plates immediately in order for the van to be legal to drive. The cost of doing so would have been $400-600, which the couple did not have. They were able to get temporary plates, but the messy situation with the vehicle prevented them from being eligible for insurance.

When the van was stolen, the police did little to nothing to help, not even bothering to send a single squad car to either the gas station where the theft took place, or the intersection where the van was found totaled.

Despite the brutal challenges they’ve faced and continue to endure, Jeremy and Lena are resilient and hopeful, and they refuse to give up.

Please help Jeremy and Lena through this harrowing time by donating to their cause. The money will be used to pay for a new vehicle, housing, and medical bills for the cancer treatments Lena desperately needs. Additionally, please share Jeremy and Lena’s story with everyone you know so we can get them as much assistance as possible while they navigate these terrible crises. Your support is deeply appreciated!