The mother of Jessie Simpson is looking for donations as she is putting together an auction to help pay for unexpected expenses.

It has been six years since a brutal assault in Kamloops left Jessie with permanent brain injuries and in need of 24/7 care and this summer, Jessie has been able to spend more time at home with his mom. Sue Simpson says caring for her son, mostly by herself on weekends, has been a big job as he requires constant attention. She says it’s been a thrill to have Jessie come home regularly, but some unexpected costs are starting to pile up.

“I figured that everything would be covered when he came home, not knowing that it wouldn’t be. So I have had to pay for diapers, creams, the nurse staff coming in. We just had a nurse come in for the summer and he’s been great with Jessie, but they won’t pay for that at home. So nothing is paid for right now at home.”

“I just received a $2900 bill that needs to be paid. I pay Jessie’s bed rental at $175 a month. Diapers, creams and extra food when he is home. So it is quite costly.”

“I did have People in Motion bringing Jessie home which saves us a $300 cost, so I would like to thank them. I have had a lot of great people in the community help us, but Jessie’s situation is not going to change and he has two surgeries coming up in the next few months and I just had surgery so I am off [work] for a few weeks.”

Sue is now putting together the 2022 edition of Justice for Jessie. “I do an auction every year to support Jessie. My yearly auction is coming up. I call it Justice for Jessie and I will be doing that again in two months. So I am looking for donations… I have had great support from people over the years and just anything we could auction off. Gift baskets, tools, wine baskets, gift cards, or anything that we can auction off would be appreciated.”

Anyone interested in helping out can reach out to Sue Simpson by phone at 778-257-5715, by email at suesimpson97@gmail.com and items can be mailed to PO BOX 233 Savona, BC, V0K 2J0.

A goFundme page has also been set up.

How is Jessie feeling about spending more time at home with his mom? 

Sue says it’s been six years since Jessie has been able to enjoy any sort of normal and he is really happy to be able to come home each weekend. “I sit him on the deck and he is able to have his friends come over. We had the first birthday party in six years together with family and friends which was beautiful. Jessie is doing well. Mentally he is doing well.”

“We actually had a big hurdle in our lives. Last week, they disengaged chair and let him move around a bit on his own and he is doing well with it. He is remembering where to go and how to come back to where he is supposed to be.”

“It is hard to bring him back but mentally for him it is so nice to bring him home on the weekends and just go for a walk down at the park with us. He is happy. Very happy. You can see it in his face. He’s sad when he goes, but he is happy.”

“He does have rehab in Kamloops and baths he needs to have because we weren’t able to renovate our bathroom. So he still needs to come back to Kamloops and be with his rehab team too.”