Thirty Year Thursday: Shaun
Soon after being hired for a specialized operations position, Shaun was the victim of a random shooting. After being shot five times and hospitalized for three weeks, he survived with a serious spinal injury that left him temporarily unable to use the right side of his body. Not only was he in severe pain from nerve damage, but he was also unable to work. Since he had just started with the company and had no tenure, he was also unable to be paid during his medical leave. After a couple months, Shaun and his girlfriend ran out of savings. Soon, their landlord filed an eviction and they began receiving disconnection notices for their utilities. While they tried to recover physically and emotionally from this random act of violence, the threat of homelessness and utility shut off loomed closer.
In a thank you letter to MAC, Shaun writes, “This was a very depressing and
turbulent time given my previous history of financial independence.” Just months ago, he had not even imagined finding himself in this situation. Desperate to prevent losing his home, Shaun called Midtown Assistance Center.
He describes this first phone call to MAC as “compassionate.” He spoke with a staff member, and he writes that she, “offered several words of encouragement, ideas for alternative medical
treatment, and even her own personal medical apparatuses from a similar injury.” With special funding from St. Luke’s reserved for severe medical cases, MAC was also able to help with close to three months’ worth of rent assistance and with power bills.
Now, about a year later, Shaun has recovered enough to return back to work and has enjoyed being back.
“I was at a low,” he says, reflecting back on his injuries. But he says that coming to MAC was an excellent experience, and that the respect he received never made him feel bad about needing help. Not only did MAC prevent his eviction during a time of incredible chaos, but the staff and volunteers provided a welcoming and secure environment where Shaun could get the assistance necessary to get back on his feet. Nothing conveys the environment and impact of MAC more than Shaun’s own words. He writes:
“It is with a deep sense of gratitude that I write to thank The Midtown Assistance Center and its contributors for their charitable and generous aid to people like myself during our times of need. Words do not seem adequate to say how much I appreciate your support and know that I am grateful for all that you have done.”