On June 23, 2022, Donnie was living a life full of big dreams and saltwater. He had the keys to a yacht, courtesy of his job crewing fishing charters off the coast. By day, he cleaned the catch. By night, he studied to become a licensed captain, chasing a future written in waves and weathered docks. It was mid-pandemic, and like many of us, he was doing his best to hold on to hope.

That day started like any other: a long morning on the water, a cooler full of fish, a good clean, and then a quick ride to grab dinner. He hopped on his motorcycle, heading to Jack in the Box. That’s when it all changed.

A woman, suffering a seizure behind the wheel, veered across the parking lot. She hit Donnie before he could react. It wasn’t just an accident—it was a life-altering moment.

His back was broken. The hospital stay was long and grueling. And then came the infection. His hip bone—ravaged by complications—forced Donnie into the darkest fight of his life. He was in the wrong place at the wrong time, and the damage was permanent. Donnie is now paralyzed from the waist down.

The physical pain was only part of the battle. Medical bills piled high, and the future he had been working toward seemed to vanish overnight.

But Donnie is a fighter. When life knocked him down, he picked up a needle and thread. From his hospital bed, he started sewing—painfully, slowly, with grit only someone who’s seen that kind of darkness could summon. He crafted his first hat from scratch, working out patterns, teaching himself how to stitch and shape and bend fabric to will.

Every hat we sell is a piece of that story. It’s a stitch of survival, a brim full of grit. Donnie’s hats aren’t just headwear—they’re battle flags. A testament to starting over. A symbol of strength.

When you wear one, you’re not just covering your head—you’re standing with Donnie.

Support the mission. Wear the story.