Hi, My name is Eric Wood and I'm posting to raise funds for one of my closest friends, Dustin Greer. On June 20th, Dustin had a minor stroke. For those who know him, this may not come as a big surprise! It's always been hard to slow him down... But at the young age of 52, it was quite a shock. While we were all out getting our cholesterol checked... doctors discovered that Dustin has a condition that has been there since birth. There is a technical term, but basically, he was born with a pin size hole in his heart. Easy enough to fix (and they will!), but the event itself was nothing I had ever heard of. A Branch Retinal Artery Occlusion (BRAO) or an Eye Stroke. In layman's terms, Dustin's eye robbed his brain of a stroke. On the one hand, that's good. His brain is intact, with no paralysis or speech problems, but it has affected a majority of his field of vision in the right eye. For a hard-working boat captain, this is not a good thing. When I met Dustin, about 20 years ago he was a freelance scenic artist (think amusement park attractions and museum exhibits). Despite very different personalities, we became fast friends. We shared an artistic streak we couldn't ignore and supported each other's endeavors. Words that have been used to describe us both are independent, free-spirited, and... maybe hard-headed workaholic. It's no wonder, ours has turned into one of my closest and most valuable friendships. But after 20+ years of traveling constantly, 100+ hour work weeks, and inhaling a fair amount of paint fumes, Dustin did the unexpected. He sold everything and moved to Key West. Trading a high-pressure demanding job for paradise seems pretty fitting, but it didn't slow him down. He got his Captain's Licence, ran charters for tourists and started a small water taxi service. He was living the dream until Covid hit. We all know what Covid did to tourism; Key West turned into a ghost town. But Dustin landed on his feet in Miami. Seasonal gigs kept him busy as a captain, during slow periods, he set up a small artist studio and began working on some fine art projects that had always been in his heart to do. He made a living. A little less than a year ago, he took a job with a charter company that would keep him busy year-round. Unfortunately, insurance benefits kick in at the one-year mark. Of course, he's still a few months short of that mark, and the main reason I (and an extended group of close friends) have decided to put this fundraiser together. As you can imagine, Dustin isn't thrilled at the prospect of asking for... well, anything. But the truth of the matter is the bills are piling up (already over $25,000). And there is more to come. A procedure to repair his heart, as well as, God knows what to attempt to restore his vision. These are big expenses and there is a real need. Dustin wasn't able to work for over a month after the stroke, and although he has just been cleared for "light duty", he's taken a big pay cut. I guess it's not proper to expect "captain's pay" if you've been moved to desk duty. Makes sense, but doesn't eliminate the financial burden. So, this is me asking you to join us in supporting Dustin through this period. If it's in your heart to help we are only asking for donations if you can truly afford it. Anything helps. Some of us have been very fortunate, and if you're like me, an amount instantly popped into my head that felt appropriate and wasn't a burden. Just know any donation is greatly appreciated. In any case, thanks for reading and please keep Dustin in your thoughts and prayers. E.
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