Emergency Medical Fund for Ben and Lebowski

Hello, my name is Gerry Bossard I am fundraising on behalf of my brother Benjamin and my dog-nephew Lebowski. My brother currently works as an EMT for the Snoqualmie Summit Ski Area. It is a highly physical job where EMT's patrol the mountain on skis searching for injured people on the slopes. Last week, my brother crashed his truck on the freeway after working three double shifts in a row. He had barely slept in those 3 days and had fallen asleep at the wheel with the cruise control set to 60 mph. He luckily survived relatively unscathed, with some whiplash and soreness in his shoulders. It is honestly amazing that he is even alive. However, his truck is completely totaled and he is without transportation to get to his job, which is a 3 hour commute away. The 2002 Toyota Tundra truck was purchased just a few months ago as his primary commute and farm work vehicle, as my brother also is a full time goat farmer. On the same day of the crash, Lebowski (goodest boy) was rushed to the vet after showing signs of severe salmon poisoning, which can be deadly for dogs. Lebowski has also thankfully recovered but his veterinary bills are significant, as he was given lifesaving medication and emergency fluids to combat dehydration.

Just a little over a week later, Ben slipped on some ice during this most recent snow storm and landed on his hip and is currently unable to walk without crutches. Right now, Ben is waiting to hear back from the hospital about his X-ray for his hip. It is likely he will be out of work for at least a few weeks, possibly longer depending on how severe his hip injury is. We think it may be broken but we are still waiting to hear back from the doctor. If it is broken it could mean months of rehabilitation, which will be costly on top of the fact that he also is unable to work. In addition, the health insurance that he is supposed to be getting through his job does not start covering anything until February.

Right now our family is struggling financially due to these sudden medical emergencies and accidents. We are asking for a total of 10 grand to cover the cost of buying a new truck, paying off Lebowski's vet bills and paying for Benjamin's medical expenses. We are also hoping that this will be enough to cover basic living expenses for his family while Ben is recovering. Along with Lebowski, Ben is a devoted cat dad of three amazing kitties and also supports his wife Cassie while she searches for work. He also is the primary caretaker for our 13 goats.

Please, if you can spare even a few dollars, it would mean so much to us. Ben is a fiercely independent person and gives everything he can to his family and his community. Right now we just need a little help to get back on our feet. I will be updating this page periodically as we get more information on Ben's injuries. Thank you for reading. Please enjoy some lovely photos of our family below: