Wendell is an 80-year-old retired veteran who finds himself facing the harsh realities of homelessness in Los Angeles. After a life marked by service and sacrifice, including the heartbreaking loss of one son in the Afghanistan war and another in a tragic car accident, Wendell’s challenges escalated when his beloved wife was diagnosed with cancer. Despite spending every penny on her treatment, she passed away, leaving Wendell without his life partner and financially devastated. Today, Wendell lives in a broken-down RV, a stark reminder of the cascading tragedies that led him to this point.
The crisis of elderly homelessness is escalating, with countless older adults like Wendell finding themselves without a safe place to call home. The vulnerability of this population is profound, as they face unique health and mobility challenges, exacerbated by the lack of stable housing. In urban areas like Los Angeles, where the cost of living is high and social services are stretched thin, the plight of elderly homeless individuals is particularly acute.
A dedicated street medicine team brought Wendell’s situation to our attention, emphasizing his reluctance to ask for financial help. Wendell’s humble wish is for a functioning RV, allowing him the dignity of mobility and the ability to relocate to a place he can once again call home. Understanding the improbability of such a donation, we convinced Wendell to agree to a GoFundMe campaign. Rest assured, this campaign is transparent—every cent raised goes directly to Wendell’s bank account to fund his new RV.
We have made sure that there are people involved to help Wendell drive to the location that he wants to go and that he will be taken care of.
Help Wendell get an RV to go back home https://gofund.me/e55367c9
