Lady Gaga’s dog walker Ryan Fischer is asking for help continuing a healing journey after being shot while walking the singer’s three dogs earlier this year.
Fischer set up a GoFundMe with the goal of raising $ 40,000 to help him complete a six-month road trip. He made the request after the van he was driving broke down two months after the trip began. “A few days ago, I said goodbye to Trudy, a nearly reliable 1991 Ford Falcon rental that rolled like a boat in high winds,” he wrote.
“With just me, Trudy, 3 stuffed animals that look like dogs that I care a lot about, and MANY too many personal items, across the United States, we wobbled for two months. Sometimes I was scared. . I was alone. I felt abandoned and helpless. I had long bouts of depression, doubt and self-pity. “
However, the experience has helped to illuminate a way forward. “All that time spent recovering my body, I now had to be dedicated to strengthening my emotional and mental health as well,” Fisher explained. “This understanding has helped me define what I need for the rest of this gap year: getting a van and exploring this country while researching communities that support the process of growth after trauma.”
“It’s not an easy thing to ask, but I have started to realize that sharing your vulnerability with others is exactly when a dramatic change begins to happen for everyone involved,” he said. added. At the time of publication, GoFundMe has raised approximately $ 4,500.
In February, Fischer was shot dead in Los Angeles when two of Gaga’s dogs – Koji and Gustav – were stolen. The “Rain On Me” singer offered a reward of $ 500,000 for their safe return and thanked Fisher for protecting his family.
“You are forever a hero,” she wrote on Instagram after recovering her beloved pets.
Fischer also thanked Gaga for her support. “I love you and thank you,” he said. Entertainment Weekly reported that doctors had to remove part of Fischer’s lung and added that it is widely reported that the hit-maker covered Fischer’s medical expenses.
In addition to the physical healing, he has been candid about the ongoing emotional trauma on Instagram. This comes all the more so as he has to revisit the moment with strangers who recognize him. “It’s a strange thing to be known for a trauma that I’m still healing from. People want to reach out, share my pain for a while, then walk away, letting me relive it again. “
Five suspects have been arrested and charged since the attack.
