Give A Hand - A humble ask…

Hey everyone…it’s me, Jack.

I wish I was here with better news, but unfortunately that’s not the case…

Many of you know me as the former owner of Java Jack’s Coffee Cafe at 46th & Bryant in S.W. Minneapolis. It was the joy of my working life—a place where neighborhood kids found their first job and people gathered like it was the town square. Patrons bought Christmas trees at “Java Jacks’s Xmas Tree Ranch” and dragged them home! It really did feel like a big family back then..those years feel far away..and now Jack needs a hand

After my 2nd open chest emergency surgery (19hrs) on Oct 2017 to repair my tortured descending aorta, nerves that were damaged in my lower back during surgery left me with lasting and progressive problems regarding my mobility. I no longer can perform the physical work that once defined my life.

What began as difficulty using my legs and dealing with impaired balance has developed into a far more complex set of problems. Mid section paralysis that also affects my lymphatic system is also slowly repositioning my spine causing it to twist and bend. Standing for any length of time is a painful struggle. Short term memory issues also have plagued me ever since the operation and continue to worsen most likely due to the ICU Delirium I‘d experienced.

My severely compromised “stooped over” posture is a result of that paralysis and very evident when I try and stand or walk with a cane or a walker. The condition is progressive. It has steadily taken more from me each year and has completely reshaped my body and my days..

It has touched every part of my life. I was a house painter at the time I went into the hospital and the one who primarily maintained our home and property. 
When I was no longer able to do that work or care for the house, my wife and I had to sell our home. We moved into a small apt here in White Bear Lake…it’s tight but it’s what we were able to manage once my ability to earn a living disappeared.

To compound things further, I ended up fracturing my femur from a fall that landed me back in the hospital in March 2024. This was the nail in my coffin I didn’t need. The already tight purse strings tightened

Accepting help has never come easy for me. I’ve spent a lifetime trying to handle things myself and now asking publicly is hard. Not looking for luxury..just some liquidity to cover basic needs like staying housed, keeping my vehicle running, emergency medical needs, food, and to buy a little time and peace of mind to figure out what’s next.

If you knew me back when or know me now, or this simply lands with you, any help would mean more than I can easily say.

If you’re not able to give financially, please consider sharing this page with others.

I thank you all in advance…

Always with immense gratitude, 
Jack “Java Jack” Thompson
               👉🏼 ❤️ 👈🏼