Possibilities for Patten

My name is Tim Igo, and I am working with Patty (Robinson) Gahan and Paul Parker to fund raise on behalf of Dave Patten. To give some history, I was in sixth grade and called down to the Sanborn office and asked to give a new student a tour of the school. It was then that I first met Dave.

Many of us have long been inspired by the fortitude and friendship of our Concord Carlisle High School Class of 1989 classmate, Dave Patten. Dave was born with cerebral palsy and experienced a largely different childhood than many children who grew up in Concord. By sharing his story on social media, he has shown tremendous courage and authenticity and has captivated hearts. The truth is, despite Dave’s optimistic outlook, his life is not easy in any way – medically, financially, or logistically. Dave is highly intelligent, motivated, and eager to work but has struggled to find gainful, sustained employment due to circumstances beyond his control. Dave doesn’t expect or necessarily want his life to be easy.

He shares a similar spirit with disabled surfer Bethany Hamilton who said “I don’t need easy. I just need possible.”

This GoFundMe campaign will raise $15,000 for Dave so he can live a better life.

Dave’s Social Security Income barely covers his expenses.

Dave needs our help to buy a few items that would greatly improve his life:

1) A replacement motor for his wheelchair

2) A handicap-accessible desk

3) A sleep number bed to help regulate his increased tone and spasticity from his cerebral palsy

4) Furniture, such as bookshelves and tv stand, for his apartment

5) Housekeeping support

6) A headstone for his mother’s gravesite which remains unmarked 24 years after her passing

Dave’s biggest financial hurdle was caused by the pandemic. Tragically, Dave lost his girlfriend Patty and her family to COVID. Dave had co-signed on a car loan for Patty despite the fact that he has never had a driver’s license and was unable to even drive the car. After he lost Patty, Dave surrendered the car to the finance company who calculated the residual cost to be $7800. The fact that the dealership allowed Dave to co-sign a loan for a car he cannot drive is unfortunate at best, and at worst, exploitative. Dave’s credit has already been penalized and the debt is currently outstanding.

Recently, Patty (Robinson) Gahan, Paul Parker, and I were reunited with Dave at our 30th/31st high school reunion and had a chance to catch up and learn of his challenging circumstances. This GoFundme is born as a result of those conversations and a visit with Dave at his home. So many of you have already responded positively to the idea and we hope many more will so that Dave will once again have some possibilities. With his fighting spirit, he will take care of the rest.

The monetary goal of the GoFundMe campaign is $15,000. Please join us in creating possibilities for our friend Dave Patten.