I Got Bridged

In Portsmouth, New Hampshire, people often say they “got bridged” when the Memorial Bridge lifts for passing boats. Traffic stops. People wait. Life pauses for a moment.

For me, “getting bridged” became more than a traffic delay,  it became a metaphor for life itself.

I walk several miles a day throughout Portsmouth, and crossing the Memorial Bridge has become part of my daily routine. Sometimes I’m stopped in my tracks as the bridge rises before me. Over time, I began to realize those moments carried an important lesson: when life forces us to pause, we can either fight the moment or learn from it.

In 2018, at the age of 45, my life changed forever when I was diagnosed with Leber’s Hereditary Optic Neuropathy (LHON), a rare genetic disorder that caused me to lose my vision.

At the same time, I was struggling with a lifelong battle with drug and alcohol addiction. Losing my sight forced me to confront my life in ways I never had before. It made me walk by faith and not by sight  literally and spiritually.

In 2019, after years of trying and failing to get sober, God did for me what I could not do for myself. One day at a time, I finally walked away from drugs and alcohol.

Through my faith, I discovered purpose in serving others.

What began as small acts of kindness like shoveling snow for elderly neighbors and helping those in need slowly grew into something much bigger. While relying on food pantries and transportation assistance myself, I saw firsthand how many people on the Seacoast lacked access to basic necessities, transportation, and support.

That experience inspired the idea for a volunteer transportation service using a 15-passenger van to help people get to food pantries, recovery meetings, medical appointments, church services, and other essential destinations.

From that vision, “I Got Bridged” was born.

Today, thanks to our volunteers and supporters, we operate a fleet of five vehicles serving individuals and families across the Seacoast community.

Our services include:

• Free transportation to Gather Food Pantry, Walmart, church services, recovery meetings, medical appointments, community meals, and local events

• Assistance for elderly and disabled residents with snow removal and yard cleanup

• Moving support for individuals transitioning from homelessness into stable housing

• Care packages and essential supplies for those experiencing homelessness

• Annual winter coat and warm clothing drives

• Partnerships with organizations including Cross Roads House, Portsmouth Public Housing, New Generation, local recovery centers, Gather and shelters. 

We do what we can when we can!

Every day, we continue working to bridge the gap for people facing hardship in our community.

But we cannot do this alone.

Every donation helps keep our vehicles on the road and allows us to continue serving those in need. Every act of kindness matters. Every ride matters. Every person matters.

By helping others, we begin to heal ourselves.

A reminder to be kind to others because everyone is fighting a hard battle. By helping others, we take the focus off ourselves.