He’s the man that has turned Pittsburgh history into something odd, mysterious and fascinating.
He uncovered evidence that 9-foot giants may have roamed our area eons ago, that Pittsburgh is the true birthplace of aviation and showed that Pittsburgh’s hockey roots are deeper than most thing.
Now, he needs our help.
John Schalcosky, the founder of the Odd, Mysterious and Fascinating History of Pittsburgh, was hit with several health issues in late 2023. He had two episodes of Guillain-Barre syndrome, a rare aliment that affects someone’s nerves, along with ulcerative colitis and diverticulitis.
Over the past year and a half, John has undergone several surgeries and while he continues to improve, he lost his old job and medical bills starting piling up.
Now, he and his family are dealing with the serious repercussions that come with a serious health issue and bills.
“In the last week alone, our water and gas were shut off,” Schalcosky said in a post. “My older car was repossessed. Our home is under threat of foreclosure, and I owe months on both our house and car payments. Today, I woke up to a negative bank balance, and I don’t get paid again for two weeks.”
Schalcosky does have a job but he is unable to work full time since he is still recovering from his health issues.
“Just stuck in a bit of a bad financial cycle,” he tells KDKA Radio. “I Still have some after effects from the surgery too that run me down a bit which is basically preventing me from working full time.”
John confesses that he is embarrassed to have to ask for help, but making sure his family is able to keep basic utilities and food is more important to him than his pride.
You can contribute to John’s fund HERE.