Submitted by Ron Benvenisti. Today is Go Fund Me Giving Tuesday. Your donation will be doubled from 8AM to 8PM. Please help out if you can.

https://www.gofundme.com/wh22y7-emergency-fund

I am a 9/11 NYC Law Enforcement first responder. I have not received any benefits from NYC, as many of my brothers and sisters in LE, EMS, FD and others in the Public Sector. It seems like there is a funeral every week from all kinds of lethal complications. Many were close friends from FDNY downtown and DOI/NYPD Manhattan South (where my office was a half a block away on Maiden Lane).

Throughout that fateful day, I personally rescued close to a hundred people and led them to safety in the deep basement of the Chase bank, my office building at Maiden Lane or to immediate triage.

We were sworn to and willing to give our lives for you. So many of us did selflessly and bravely and continue to do so, actively or suffering after that tragic and most horrible attack on our great nation. Will you help me out with whatever you can?

In the Fall of 2009 I was diagnosed with a rare liver disease that had been growing for years until it practically killed me. I spent nearly six weeks in the hospital. There were only 2 prior cases known. A young micro-biologist from Rutgers university came up with an experimental cocktail in the last two weeks and it worked! Thank God it was like a miracle. I was the only one to ever survive this illness. I actually was read my last rights. Of the three known cases I was the only one that survived. B’Chasdei Hashem. And the cure was found.

How I got it and how long it had been festering is unknown. It was a super-bacteria that takes years to evolve with no symptoms until it’s too late. This has been written up in the medical journals. The doctors suspect it might have been due to someone I had close contact with (of the hundreds I rescued) or something at Ground Zero.This year I started to feel discomfort and pain in that area until in July it became unbearable. From July through September I had been in the ER 5 times. Finally after several tests (needed to get pre-approval for) on October 18, I had surgery again to clean out what was there including removing my gall bladder and opening up obstructions. Thank God again, so far so good.

In November 2017 I fractured my knee and surgery nor replacement was not a good solution in my case. I have lost over a year of my life which has placed undo hardship on my finances and family. Replacing the knee or screws and metal was not an option as the injury involved numerous small fractures underneath the knee. The immobility for 8 weeks led to venal thrombosis which is a blood clot that can Chas V’Shalom travel to your lungs, heart or brain and is potentially fatal. I still have some trouble getting around, but God willing, with continued Physical Therapy and pain medication, in time it will be better.

Our modest house is now in foreclosure and we are battling for disability for one of my beautiful children. I am seeking financial assistance to keep our home and pay off the accumulated debts and medical expenses as well as to cover everyday necessities. This is why I need help. I never thought I would ever try a Chesed Fund and GoFund Me, but my friends urged me to do it. So here I am hoping to get some relief for my family and myself.

We are getting some medical assistance, we are on a fixed income, we get Meals-on-Wheels but we are in over our heads for over $50,000 dollars including back mortgage payments.

Will you help us out with whatever you can?

Thanks to all those who have donated and may God bless you and yours in everything.

With your generous help IYH we will be able to re-dedicate our house by Chanuka!

You can also donate via the Chesed Fund but it will not be doubled:

https://app.thechesedfund.com/ronbenvenisti/emergency-480a7f8b-64f5-4531-8aa8-e3ea1811528f

Thank you.

Ron Benvenisti