Medicaid helped my brother live a life of dignity after he was shot. Others deserve that help, too.

There was no one less likely to rely on a government program than my brother Kevin. He was an entrepreneurial go-getter who prided himself on his self-reliance.

But a brutal crime took that independence away from him in 2011. He was shot in an attempted robbery just steps from his Northern Liberties apartment. He survived, but the bullet cut his spinal cord in half, paralyzing him from the neck down.

I’ll never forget the gut punch when my dad told me the news. Kevin wouldn’t be able to breathe on his own, let alone walk. My fiercely independent brother had no choice: He needed 24/7 nursing care to handle his complex case. With his severe disability, that care was provided by Medicaid.

Right now, Medicaid is on the chopping block. Republicans in Congress are considering cuts to Medicaid totaling $2.3 trillion. I’m all for making programs more efficient and cutting red tape, but it’s impossible to cut Medicaid by a third without major consequences for people who rely on it to stay alive, let alone live a life with dignity. And that’s what Medicaid did for Kevin.

If Kevin’s ventilator tube popped off at night, there had to be a nurse there to put it back on so he didn’t suffocate to death. Kevin’s nurses moved him in and out of bed, got him showered, took care of his bowel routine, handled his medications, got him dressed, and brushed his teeth.

Kevin was not alone. Medicaid is a necessity for 80 million Americans, including those with disabilities like his, as well as people with intellectual disabilities and those who simply can’t afford basic health care. Medicaid and a framework of policies built over the years by disability advocates have enabled people with disabilities to live with the dignity we all deserve and expect.

And it is coverage that all of us are one tragic misstep or devastating diagnosis away from needing. When I’d see Kevin, I’d often think to myself, “There but for the grace of God go I.” We are all reliant on care at some point in our lives. It could come sooner than you think.

One of the many gifts Kevin had was the ability to put things in perspective. There’s no doubt he was frustrated by the reality of his injury — the constant pain, the lack of any independence, and the health complications he knew would one day take his life. But he knew he was one of the lucky ones.

He knew there were many disabled people who didn’t have an accessible living space donated by his community. He met people who didn’t have a dedicated caregiver like my dad. And he knew too many were stuck in institutional settings, often neglected and left to wither. He dreaded that could be him someday.

While Kevin was with us, he was a voice not only for himself but for others — including caregivers like my dad. After Kevin’s death, I resolved to help keep that voice with us.

In 2023, I wrote in these pages that my hope was we could take a positive step forward for people in Kevin’s shoes. Instead, Congress is on the verge of taking a massive step backward.

» READ MORE: My brother was paralyzed by gun violence. My father stepped up. | Opinion

Elections have consequences. Taking away basic care for people with disabilities shouldn’t be one of them. Regardless of where you come down politically, I doubt many would put tax cuts for the wealthy ahead of basic human dignity for the most vulnerable. Even President Donald Trump recently vowed to protect Medicaid.

The public should hold him and Congress to that pledge. If you’re inclined, I urge you to reach out to your elected official and tell them not to cut Medicaid. I think Kevin would be proud if you did.

Chris Neary is the brother of the late Kevin Neary and a resident of Wilmington.