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Cpl. Jonathan Dowdell, originally from Decatur, IL, and currently residing in Oceanside, CA is a medically-retired US Marine who served his country in both Operation Iraqi Freedom (Iraq) and Operation Enduring Freedom (Afghanistan). While serving on a deployment in Afghanistan with his unit, Company K, 3rd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, he stepped on an IED (explosive device) while conducting foot patrol. The results of his injuries were catastrophic. Cpl. Dowdell lost both legs above the knee, shattered his right arm, losing much of its use, and sustained injuries to his left hand, including finger amputation. He also suffered a head injury.
The road to recovery has been long and hard-fought. Fortunately, Cpl. Dowdell continues to make progress on the road to living as normal a life as possible. At the center of his life are his wife, Rebecca, their daughter, Kitura, and the family's two dogs, Cash (named for Jon's favorite musician, the late Johnny Cash) and Kilo, an Olde English Bulldog named after his old unit (Kilo company). The missing puzzle piece in the equation is a permanent, wheelchair accessible home.
Currently, the family lives in a rented home that is not ADA-compliant. It makes it difficult for Jonathan to get around in his own home and to do things independently. The great news is that there is an amazing organization, Operation Finally Home, helping Cpl. Dowdell and his family to have a custom, accessible home built. This amazing organization is offering so much hope for the Dowdells' future! However, life sometimes throws curveballs, and here is the catch: the new home is going to be built in League City, Texas -- over 1,500 miles away. The family planned to stay in their rented home in California until the new house could be completed, but they recently received the news that their current landlords were planning to short sale the home and would not be allowing them to renew their lease. Being that their current lease agreement is going to be up in less than 2 months (and the landlord will not be returning their security deposit -- due to "damage" from Jon's wheelchair scraping the too-narrow doorways and hall of their inaccessible home), the family will need to relocate to League City and pay security deposit and last month's rent on an accessible apartment in League City.
To pay for moving expenses, the Dowdells' current plan is to sell their family car. They will not have funds to buy another car if they sell the car they have now. I want to show them that the community cares about heroes who have given so much to serve their country! If you ask Jon, he will tell you that he is not a hero--he was "just doing his job" when he got injured. However, I believe he is a hero, not just for serving his country bravely and honorably, but for his amazing attitude and spirit. Jon never wants to ask for a "handout." He doesn't think anyone owes him anything, and it was not his idea to do this fundraiser. However, he's a great guy, a family man, and an honest man of integrity. His wife, Rebecca, has recently lost her job due to downsizing, and now they rely solely on his disability checks to get by. They should not have to sell their car to keep a roof over their heads. Let's dig deep and help this amazing family with their moving expenses so that they can move into an accessible home in Texas without having to sell their car to cover the expenses. We have priced moving expenses plus first and last months' rent on an accessible unit which accepts dogs. The Dowdells will need to raise approximately $10,000 to cover these expenses. Thank you for helping a hero!
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