My name is Jiovanni Carrera. I’m 39 years old — a husband, a father to a beautiful nine-year-old, and a man who used to take pride in providing for his family. But chronic back pain has stolen more than just my ability to work — it’s taken pieces of my identity, my confidence, and some days, my hope. I watch my family need things I can’t give, and it breaks something deep inside me. I didn’t choose this fight, but I’m in it. And no matter how heavy the pain gets, I still wake up every day trying to be the man my wife and child believe I am. Even on the days I feel like I’m falling apart, I’m holding on — because they’re worth every ounce of strength I have left.

Right now, I need help — not for myself, but to make sure my wife and child have a roof over their heads, a place to lay their heads at night without fear of losing everything. I never imagined I’d be in this position, but life has a way of humbling you. Even with all the pain, I still wake up every day fighting to be the man they believe in. Because they’re worth it. And I’m not giving up.