SABER of AWR and MSK Crew from Los Angeles, one of the most prolific graffiti writers in America and creator of the largest graffiti ever painted, is very sick at the moment. We think this is a serious case to share here on ILG. SABER has repetitive seizures and a lot of problems with the American healthcare system. This topic was also voiced by graffiti artist CHINO in the “The Vandal Hour” Radioshow we posted today, about the IZ THE WIZ case. IZ passed away in June 2009 and needed so much money to stay alive and sold everything, even his old blackbooks and all his old photos, anything to get money for treatment. Not enough people supported him. After he died, everyone wanted to buy a canvas of his, but then he didnt need money anymore. SABER recently explained the struggle himself, please read and show support if you can!
“Yesterday I had another bad seizure. I woke up in the emergency room strapped to a table. At the moment I’m home recovering with the worst headache imaginable but I still feel the need to craft these thoughts. I started having gran-mal seizures in 2001. Then I was denied insurance due to pre-existing conditions. My seizures were out of control leaving me at the mercy of these circumstances.
I can’t explain to you the horror stories I’ve experienced, not necessarily with the care I received in these emergency situations (all though going through the county system gets very messy) but more with how I was treated after these episodes. A for profit healthcare system is PREDATORY! Even though facilities are available they deny you access to treatment and empower an army of collection agencies that will go at great lengths to destroy you. Ruining someone’s credit, especially because of a sickness or accident is the first way to exacerbate illness including loss of housing, denied loans, etc. My credit was destroyed which perpetuated me and my loved ones into a downward spiral. And I am one of the lucky ones.
My passion for art drives my success. But I’m not out of the woods yet. Now, I am someone who has experienced this full cycle of our nation’s healthcare system. Then, no access to comprehensive healthcare with a serious condition to now having access to healthcare, keeping me out of the spiral of debt and recieving treatment with dignity, to in the very near future no more access.
Now the Republican administration wants to trash the #aca WITH NO PLAN IN PLACE brushing aside 20 million people and using thier platform to attack citizens with impunity is a very dangerous road to walk down. For me, I will carry on using my art and my children as inspiration. But, I have had to acknowledge the reality that at some point I might not wake up from one of these seizures. You could imagine what I would be feeling right now. If you feel so inclined to support me, buy my art.”
Link to Saber’s webshop here!
You can read more about his struggle on his very honest Instagram here.
SABER – Zero Tolerance Performance in Stavanger 2012 (VIDEO)