💛 With Love for JP: A Request from Our Family
Dear Friends & Family,
We hope you’re doing well.
Whether we’ve spoken recently or it’s been some time, please know that if you're reading this, we're sending our love across the distance.
We hope life has brought you joy, good health, and wonderful moments in between the hard ones.
Today, we’re reaching out with something personal about our son, JP (Jason).
This is a hard message to write — partly because we don’t usually ask for help, and partly because it’s about something that has deeply shaken our family.
But here we are, reaching out from the heart…
Almost three months ago — on August 12th, just three days before his 22nd birthday — our son, JP (Jason), was involved in a tragic and severe construction accident.
He survived with only a concussion, but his boss and mentor, John Lust, lost his life that day.
JP was incredibly close to him. John wasn’t just his boss — he was family.
They spent last Thanksgiving together in Washington, helping build a home for John’s relatives.
Since that day, he’s been processing all that happened — and this loss.
We are beyond grateful that our son is alive.
Had things gone differently by just a few inches, we would be telling a very different story.
Since then, JP has been doing his best to find his footing again.
While he’s been offered work since the accident, he hasn’t felt ready to go back.
And because he was working as an independent contractor, he isn’t eligible for workers’ comp or unemployment.
For nearly three months, he’s been home — resting, restoring, and moving through the natural layers of grief and trauma while finding his way forward.
He’s been reflective, grounded, and deeply aware of how precious every day truly is.
This reflection has led to a strong desire to travel and spend the winter away.
✨ The Opportunity: A Reset in Fiji
JP has always loved adventure.
In 2022, he saved up and backpacked solo through Switzerland and Italy — a trip that changed him in all the best ways.
Recently, after hearing what he’s been through, our friends and neighbors, John and Andrew, offered to host him for a month in Fiji.
Fiji! Can you believe it?!
A chance for JP to step away from the weight of all that’s happened and reconnect with himself and the world around him.
We see this as a reset — a time to explore, reflect, and begin imagining what comes next.
In our minds, we can already picture him fishing, exploring the islands, meeting new people — slowly opening back up to life and all that his future holds.
💛 How You Can Help
Since the accident, we’ve supported JP financially — covering housing, food, and bills — but we can’t do this next step alone.
We’re hoping to raise $10,000 to make this opportunity possible.
These funds will cover:
Airfare and travel expenses to and around Fiji
Travel gear and backpacking supplies
Meals and additional accommodations
Seed money for his next step — further travel or his return home
Every dollar will go directly toward helping JP begin again and rebuild his sense of direction.
This isn’t a four-week vacation — it’s a reset and a fresh start.
The more of the $10,000 we’re able to raise, the longer JP can continue backpacking after his first month in Fiji.
We’re also exploring Workaways to extend his trip — opportunities where he can travel while contributing his time and skills in exchange for food and lodging.
Depending on how close we get to the goal, this could give him a few extra weeks — or even a few months — to explore, learn, and find his way forward.
Any funds left over will go toward helping him restart his life — whether that’s here, or somewhere else in the world.
Whether it’s $25, $100, $500, or even a gifted flight, your support means more than we can express.
We also understand that everyone’s financial circumstances are different and sometimes ever-changing — there’s absolutely no pressure or expectation.
Your love, encouragement, prayers, good thoughts, and simply reading this email mean the world to us.
Ways to Contribute:
→ PayPal
→ Zelle (845-707-1658 - Danielle’s cell)
→ Check (mail to PO BOX 203, Narrowsburg, NY 12764)
Out of respect for John’s family, who are still grieving, and JP’s privacy, we ask that you not share this publicly on social media.
However, if you feel called to share this with someone, please do so by text or email.
His hosts have asked that he arrive within the next 2–3 weeks, so time is of the essence.
If you believe in this next chapter like we do, we’d be deeply grateful for your help in making it possible.
At first, JP didn’t want us to do this.
He’s independent and humble — the kind of person who never asks for help.
But we told him — You don’t have to do this alone. What you went through was traumatic — this isn’t something you experience, witness, and bounce back from quickly. And people love you. They’ll want to help.
So here we are, asking on his behalf — because we love him, and we know many of you do too.
From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for loving us, our son, and for being part of our lives.
With love and gratitude ❤️🙏
Danielle & Jennifer 