Help With Medical Expenses for Gibran Graham

Hi, my name is Heidi Carter and I own Bogan Books in Fort Kent, ME. I just found out that my friend, Gibran Graham, owner of The Briar Patch in Bangor, ME, had a stroke. As an independent bookstore owner, Gibran will need help with medical expenses related to his hospitalization. In addition to the stroke itself, he was also life-flighted to Portland due to the severity of his condition and it is unknown at this time what that additional expense may be.

As it stands now, he will be in the hospital for several weeks and will need to undergo rehab to achieve recovery. Although his staff is keeping the store open for him while he is out, small business owners do not get vacation pay or sick leave. Not to mention, Gibran is a very hands-on store owner. (I was in Bangor this December with family and when we walked by his store and peeked in the window, I was surprised to find him there - well after midnight - checking in books to be ready for the next day.)

Needless to say, this is a very challenging time for him. If you can provide any help at all - I know it would be greatly appreciated.

Let me tell you a little bit about Gibran.

To be honest, I am still getting to know him, but that in itself says a lot about Gibran. In 2018, when I decided to open a bookstore in northern Maine, I didn't know where to begin. Not long after I began advertising the opening of Bogan Books, Gibran reached out to me. He could have not reached out, he could have tried to convince me that I couldn't open another bookshop in Maine, and he could have been condescending or mean. But he wasn't any of that. Instead, without knowing me at all, he welcomed me into the world of indie booksellers in Maine. He introduced me to a community of amazing people and he continually made sure I knew about meetings and programming opportunities that he thought would be helpful to me and my store. Gibran doesn't know this, but he was my game-changer.

That's Gibran.

He is extremely community centered - I have learned that he isn't one to sit on the sidelines. He is involved in the community of Bangor from city government to theatre, collaborative events, and more.

He supports authors, schools, literacy, and other local establishments. He also gets involved with the bookselling world as much as he is allowed and has often presented authors at regional meetings and worked on committees for the American Bookseller Association. He is passionate about selling books and also helping people find the right book for them.

Gibran stands up for ideas that matter not just to him but to the world at large, but he always remains kind.

I hope when his friends and community see this, that they will share more good vibes about Gibran. He's done so much for the people that are lucky enough to be included in his life. I am hoping that if we all pitch in, we will help make a difference to a man who has made a big difference in the lives of others.