“A few years ago, I fell backwards off a low-riser and knocked my head. I didn’t have a concussion, but the dizziness which followed lasted for several weeks. It affected my ability to play and resulted in me missing several weeks of work. After paying medical bills related to this incident, another health issue arose. Just one day before Thanksgiving, I was sent to the Emergency Room. Another handful of weeks out of work, another round of bills.

“Then, the day before New Years, I played a gig in the Village and my chops just didn’t feel right. The next day, I awoke to find that I had Bell’s Palsy, which is a paralysis of the left side of the face. At which point, it was six months before I could work again – it took me half the year to recuperate enough that I could go out and work, and even then I was far from feeling 100% well. After a month or so, feeling overwhelmed by bills, I went to see Siena Shundi at the Musician’s Emergency Relief Fund, and she helped.

“My experience with the ERF … it was seamless. Everybody took care of business; everybody understood what I was going through. Other Local 802 members had been in my shoes, and received help. The ERF helped me enormously, financially. And the Fund helped me in terms of reliving my worry. Afterwards, the relief was palpable.”

Sam Burtis, trombonist and Local 802 Member