Support Clay's Fight Against CMT and Homelessness

Hello,

My name is Chris Clawson. I am raising this GoFundMe request for help on behalf of my cousin, WM Clay Clawson.

Clay suffers from a neuromuscular condition named Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT). CMT is an inherited neurological disorder that causes progressive weakness and loss of function in the muscles and nerves, starting in the hands and feet and working up to the arms and legs. It is a degenerative disease that causes the peripheral muscles to decay at different rates over time, which causes persistent and relentless nerve pain and degrading physical abilities. Despite this, Clay has fought throughout his life to have as normal of a life as possible, knowing that one day, the disease will most likely leave him paraplegic. The recent progression of this physical condition, along with the many other trials in life that Clay has had to endure (including childhood abuse in all its forms), also affects him mentally, causing depression and anxiety. But Clay, with the help of his doctors, manages extremely well for what he has experienced and is now going through, although he says that he feels like a prisoner in his own body and the prison is slowly sinking.

However, Clay keeps a note of gratitude in his phone that reminds him of the "Big Wins" in his life. This includes having a 25-year work history in IT, earning his private pilot’s license and flying for fun over the course of 10 years, and putting together a small home music studio with which he loved to write and record music and to teach his 3 granddaughters how to play different instruments. He also earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Aviation Administration in only 2 years and 10 months from start to finish, and helped his wife in maintaining a household of 6 children (who are now adults). It has been suggested by friends and family that he has changed more diapers and bottle-fed babies more times than any other guy alive. Clay is especially grateful for his three granddaughters, whom he adores. Clay's favorite thing to do is to hand out red roses the night of Valentines day, to perfectly random strangers, and to perform other random acts of kindness.

However, 15 months ago, Clay lost his most recent tech job at Oracle where he had been for the previous 8 years. After struggling to provide for the following 13 months, Clay and those family members living with him, were evicted for not being able to keep up with the rent. The other family members were quickly able to get into an apartment, Clay was left behind. Clay suddenly found himself homeless, having no income, and struggling with the disease, which is progressing (getting worse), faster than ever before. He was able to find temporary shelter and food from some family and a close friend, but due to other circumstances, it can only be temporary. During the eviction, Clay was not able to help himself or the family move out and many of their belongings got left behind. He had been selling off his belongings to help pay rent, but in the end, he lost most of his life. “For over 36 years, my life has been my family”, he states. “Now with everyone gone their own way, I’m alone. My life was literally torn from me suddenly, including my Granddaughters who are now 3.5 hours away from me, who I am used to seeing 3 or 4 times per week and are at the root of my happiness.

Most recently, Clay was classified and documented by his Neurologist of having severe muscle and fine-motor degradation. For the first time in his life, he is physically unable to work and is only getting worse. The gross motor functionality allows him to walk with a cane, but typically for only 50 steps before his legs literally give out and he falls, and the step count is ever decreasing. Yet, Clay has some fight left in him, and has applied for State and Social Security disability benefits as a starting point to rebuilding his life. He has since received food and Medicaid benefits - however, State financial benefits are not near enough to sustain his core needs and are expected to take possibly weeks to approve, while Social Security benefits are expected to take several months to approve. He has repeatedly exhausted all options working with “Utah 211” and other resources to find help with housing and utilities, which are harder to get now that he is alone. However, even at the time he and his family were being evicted and trying to somewhat stay together for financial reasons, he was repeatedly told that no help with housing was available. Over the past year, Clay sold off most of everything he owns (including his studio equipment, tools, and bed), to pay the rent. But he ultimately fell short, and the property manager got the rest. “I am now accepting the fact that I am in dire straits and will soon have nowhere to go. I live in fear every day", he says.

Having lost most everything he has worked very hard for, Clay is essentially starting his life over. Please help me give him some hope and the means necessary to fight on!

The most important things that Clay needs include (estimated, to cover a 3 to 4 month period until SSDI assistance arrives):

1. Housing deposit and rent: $5500

2. Utilities, Cell Service: $900

3. Prescriptions (which are not completely covered by Medicaid): $60

4. A bed and bedding/pillows: $200

5. Additional money for food (as the state benefit is meant to only partially cover), and basic living essentials (pots/pans/dishes/cleaning supplies/toiletries, clothing, etc..: $2000.

6. The one thing he really wants as opposed to needs, are to get pictures of his family, especially his Granddaughters, put in simple frames and placed to brighten his space.

Thank you for your time in reviewing this request for help, and for your consideration. Please, give now. Every dollar makes a difference right now!

Sincerely,

Chris Clawson