My name is Jonathan Bonito. I’m a Marine Corps veteran who’s been fighting battles long after coming home. What started as pride in serving my country turned into years of pain, physically, mentally, and emotionally. I’ve lost parts of myself along the way—my health, my marriage, and sometimes even my hope. But I’m still here because I want to heal. I’m doing this for my kids, for my family, and for the chance to live a normal life again.

🏥 The Challenge

I served six years in the United States Marine Corps, including a deployment to Afghanistan during Operation Enduring Freedom. I was stationed at Combat Outpost Shukvani, where I worked as an aircraft refueler, supported quick reaction force missions, and served as a C-spine with the Shock Trauma Platoon. My job was to help stabilize and treat the wounded, mostly Afghan National Army and Afghan Police members, along with a few U.S. service members, often under extremely dangerous and chaotic conditions. Life on COP Shukvani was relentless. We were constantly under mortar fire and RPG attacks, with rounds hitting inside our bunkers and friendly forces being sniped and killed. The nonstop stress, explosions, and loss left deep neurological and emotional scars that I still carry. Combined with the musculoskeletal injuries I sustained during and after service, daily life has become a continuous battle both physically and mentally.

💔 What’s at Stake

Over the years, my body has taken a serious beating from both service and life afterward. I am scheduled for a cervical disc replacement due to severe neck pain and nerve compression. I’ve already had left ankle surgery to repair damaged tendons and previously suffered a tibial plateau fracture. I have multiple herniations and disc bulges from L3 to S4, and nine of my eleven thoracic discs are herniated, causing constant pain, numbness, and limited mobility. On top of the physical injuries, I live with the effects of traumatic brain injury and PTSD, which impact my concentration, emotional regulation, and memory. Chronic pain, neurological issues, and mental health challenges have made daily life incredibly difficult, but I’m still pushing forward to find healing and relief.

🚫 Daily Limits

I’ve had to give up or greatly limit many of the activities I used to love. I can’t lift in the gym or run anymore because of severe back, neck, and heel pain. Even simple things like walking long distances, playing with my kids, or doing basic chores often leave me in discomfort. Over time, I’ve had to adapt to a more sedentary lifestyle, not because I want to, but because almost everything that once made me feel alive now causes pain.

🌟 What I Hope to Achieve

More than anything, I just want to feel like myself again. I want to wake up without constant pain dictating what I can and can’t do. I want to be able to think clearly, control my emotions, and not feel trapped inside a body that’s breaking down. My goal isn’t to become superhuman. I just want to live a normal, healthy life where I can move freely, exercise again, and not have to plan my day around pain. Most of all, I want to be an active father. I want to run, play, and laugh with my kids without hesitation or fear that it will leave me hurting for days. Stem cell therapy gives me hope, the chance to rebuild, to restore my body, and to finally live instead of just survive.

💰 The Financial Reality

The care and therapies that could help me regain my life aren’t fully covered by insurance or the VA. The out-of-pocket costs are more than I can manage alone. Your support can help me access treatment that could reduce pain, restore mobility, and give me the chance to be the dad and person I want to be again.

🤝 How You Can Help

Your support helps me move forward, step by step. Every donation and every share brings me closer to waking up without pain, being active with my kids, and finding myself again.

Thank you for taking the time to read my story. Every gift and every act of support brings hope that I can heal, rebuild, and get back to living—not just surviving—for my kids and for myself.

Support Jonathan Bonito’s Journey

By Miracle Hope Foundation

Support Jonathan Bonito’s Journey

“I just want to feel like myself again, to wake up without pain, and to play with my kids without fear.”