The Creator of LEGO Island Needs Your Help

[emily]

Hi folks!

I've got some bad news today. Wes Jenkins, the Creative Director on the original LEGO Island game, is in dire financial straits and needs all the support he can get. My friend Sadie knows him personally and has written this piece.
 

Many of us know Wes Jenkins for having been Creative Director, Writer, and Designer for the beloved 1997 LEGO PC game LEGO Island or LI1, which played a significant role in the childhoods of a myriad of children, inspiring creativity, imagination, play, fun, and learning. I've been friends with Wes for several years now on Facebook, and he's one of the most fantastic people I've ever had the pleasure of knowing, let alone being able to call my friend. He's brilliantly creative, imaginative, lighthearted, funny, silly, and an excellent artist! Most of all though he's very kindhearted, compassionate, loving, modest, and has this unwavering aptitude to make light of and poke fun at his predicaments, no matter the severity, all the while retaining a sense of seriousness. Wes inspires me a lot for all these reasons and more, and he's been consistently one of the biggest beacons of hope in my life that I can be an adult and conduct myself with maturity, seriousness, and professionalism, but still maintain and express a lot of childlike qualities, and still be very much a kid.

 

Sadly since having to leave LEGO in 2000 or so, Wes has been burdened with a lot of health and financial troubles, on top of which he had to take care of his 91-year-old father with dementia for a while at one point until his father's passing a few years ago. Wes has been largely taken care of by his loving wife Kyle for many years since, meanwhile illustrating humorous drawings in his "Doodle-a-Day" series as a creative outlet and source of joy. Despite all the hardships that befell them, together they were able to make it through much of their troubles. However, now I'm very sad to say they're being evicted from their home, their medical insurance has run out, and they no longer have any credit.

 

They have to move out of their home by the 18th-19th of this month and are in dire need of financial support to afford temporary housing, as time is running out and it's very much a life or death situation at this point. To this end Wes has set up a GoFundMe page. Please give them any amount of money you can spare in their time of need, and please share this and help get the word out as soon as you can. Wes has never asked for money before, and the fact he's doing so now is a very good indicator that the situation is quite serious. I love Wes dearly, and I'd really like for us all to be able to cherish this wonderful man's presence and creativity in the world for as many more years as possible, and even more for he and his wife Kyle to live with a better quality of life.

 

Thank you. See you later brickulator!

 

You can find Wes's GoFundMe page here. I know extra money is hard to come by, but please consider making a contribution if it is possible. And even if it isn't, please spread the word - it seriously goes a long way.

Thank you so much! 

[Ghidora131]

Sending this around to every outreach and fangroup I know, including my own personal group.

 

BZPower, please feature this page.

Edited August 14, 2016 by Ghidora131

[SPIRIT]

Dang, that's really upsetting.

 

I don't normally donate to this sort of thing, but I've made an exception in this case.  I hope everything works out for him.

[Bonkle]

Man, if I had money to throw around I'd donate in a heartbeat. But I am nothing more than a small broke child.

 

So, instead I will spread it around everywhere I can.

[Toa Imrukii]

It's only been perhaps just up to an hour now, and he is already nearing 6,000 bucks. Good on us FoLs thusfar.

[masterchirox580]

I'd donate if I could. But I'm surprised he's in this situation. With his work on Lego Island you'd think he'd still be in the games industry somewhere. I'll spread this around.