My name is David Riley. I am a 50-year-old 100% disabled Army Veteran, and I am here today, against everything down to my core that wants me to do, asking for help. I am not one who ever asks for help; I have always tried to push through and figure it out for myself. I was raised to work hard and stand on my own two feet, which I feel I have done for better or worse. My life over the past few years has taken a physical and mental toll on me.   In September of 2023, I suffered a stroke that has left me with weakness and balance issues on the left side of my body. To this day, I have to use a cane to walk to help prevent me from stumbling and/or falling. I returned to work after about 3 months of physical therapy and to my position at the County Jail, working 60+ hours per week. The long hours and the stress of my job took their toll on my body. As a 100% disabled retired Army Veteran, I still live by the mantra of putting the mission first, which meant my physical and mental health needs took a back seat to my career. To this day, I must utilize a cane to walk because of weakness and balance problems with the left side of my body.   In January of 2025, I was hospitalized once again in respiratory failure due to bacterial pneumonia in both of my lungs. The first few days in the hospital, we were not sure if I was going to survive this illness. But by the grace of God, I did survive and was sent home for rehabilitation with the assistance of home healthcare. After about 2 months, I returned to work using a portable oxygen unit. Over the course of the next few months, I was diagnosed with COPD, and I was learning to adjust my life to my new medical needs, while still working 60-plus hours per week. My health had continued to decline to the point where I had to make a tough decision: transfer to the County to a new position outside the Sheriff's Office that offered traditional working hours, less stress, and allowed me to focus on myself. Although my new position has helped me focus on myself, it has come with a significant pay cut, since I am now a salaried employee and overtime I enjoyed is gone.   In November 2025, I was hospitalized again after going to the emergency room with severe abdominal pain. I was diagnosed with a perforated colon as a result of diverticulitis, which I had never been diagnosed with before. I had to have emergency surgery that evening to save my life. The surgeon showed up about 20 minutes after he was called, and I was in surgery approximately an hour later. The surgeon had to remove a massive piece of my colon, resulting in me now having a colostomy bag. This surgery has been a life-altering event that I am doing my best to adjust to. These were three major life-threatening medical events in just a couple of years, which also resulted in significant medical costs, not just for doctor bills, hospital bills, follow-ups, but also for the medical equipment I have to use.   I do have insurance, but I still have to pay a hefty out-of-pocket amount. I had just received a medical bill for $35,000 that insurance did not cover. I have been working hard to meet my obligations, which at times required me to take out loans and/or max out credit cards to not only cover my financial obligations but also have enough money to live on. I am broken, and I feel like I can not get a break or get ahead in my life. Those of you who know me know this is not easy for me to ask for help with anything. I am the one who helps, not the one who asks for help.   So here I am, swallowing my pride, enduring the embarrassment, and asking for any help. Any funds I receive will be applied to medical bills, loans, credit card balances, or medical equipment and services.