I Lost Everything — Then Built Something Useful

There are moments in life that change everything.
For me, it happened more than once.

At 15, I lost my father to cancer.

At 19, I fell into a coma — and woke up completely paralyzed on the left side of my body. It wasn’t permanent, but the road to recovery was brutal. Every day, I pushed myself — from wheelchair to walker, from walker to walking again. I forced my body to fight, even when it resisted.
Today, I’m proud of how far I’ve come. But the truth is, I’ll never be 100%. My left side is still weaker, slower, less coordinated. And that’s okay — I keep moving forward.

Just when I thought things were finally getting better, Hurricane Ian struck on September 28, 2022, destroying my home and everything I owned in Fort Myers Beach, Florida.

The Nightmare After the Storm

At a time when I was already at rock bottom, I finally received compensation from FEMA.
But right after that, I got hacked — and that’s when things got really crazy.

The hackers cloned my SIM card, breached my phone, and infiltrated my computer’s BIOS — so deep that traditional virus scans couldn’t detect anything. The signs were subtle at first: slower boot times, strange new apps, and unexplained spikes in data usage.

I went through eight different phones trying to escape it. I factory-reset my devices countless times, flashed new firmware on my Android phones, reset passwords, used VPNs and firewalls, installed endpoint security — but no matter what I did, the hackers were still there. They hijacked multiple Facebook accounts, took over several Google accounts, and forced me to close my bank account three different times.

My devices became unpredictable: antivirus protections would be disabled, normal apps would gain elevated permissions, and suspicious programs would appear out of nowhere. Some web pages even displayed disturbing content. People didn’t believe me. They thought I was exaggerating or imagining things. They told me it was impossible. But it was real — and it was terrifying.

The worst part? I was suddenly unable to prove who I was to FEMA, which meant I couldn’t get housing or any other assistance.

I felt isolated, disoriented, and hopeless.
But somehow, I kept going.

In 2023, I relocated to Pennsylvania with no home, no resources, and no clear path forward. But I did have one thing: relentless determination to make something work online.

I became obsessed with AI — not the hype, but the real potential. I had no team. No budget. Just an idea… and ChatGPT.

The Problem That Sparked Everything

Amazon is where we all shop — but have you ever tried to find the exact product you need?
The filters barely work. You can’t sort by Prime-only + coupon + price range + rating + color + discount. You can’t even easily find Lightning Deals or brand-specific sales without digging through pages of junk.

I kept thinking: Why is it so hard to search Amazon properly?

So I built the solution.

What I Created — With No Money and No Code Team

DealShopperPro.com is the tool I wish existed. It's a free Amazon deal-finder that lets anyone filter products with precision:

• ✅ Only want Prime-eligible items? Easy.
• ✅ Looking for Lightning Deals under $25 with free shipping? One click.
• ✅ Need a specific brand, size, rating, or coupon combo? Done.

The site uses Amazon’s public affiliate structure, meaning I earn a small commission if someone buys through it — but it costs users nothing. No logins. No popups. No gimmicks. Just powerful search.
And it works — even on mobile.

Built With AI. Run By One Person. Helping Thousands.

This wasn’t built in Silicon Valley. I didn’t raise VC money.
I sat down, opened ChatGPT, and asked questions like:

• “How do I create a search URL for Amazon’s affiliate program?”
• “How do I make an accordion-style UI with JavaScript filters?”
• “How do I structure this for SEO and mobile usability?”

And together, we built it.

Why I’m Sharing This Now

Because I know I’m not the only one who has started from nothing.
I know what it’s like to be overlooked. To feel invisible. To have talent and ideas, but no platform.

Yes, I created a tool that helps people save money. But I also created a symbol of what’s possible with no budget, no safety net, and no quit in you.

Want to See What I Built?

Try it here: https://www.dealshopperpro.com

If you’re a journalist, creator, or someone who believes in second chances — I’d love to talk. I built something real. I just need help getting it seen.

About the author

Duane Romualdo — Hurricane survivor, solo builder, and creator of DealShopperPro.com.

Contact Duane

Written by Duane Romualdo
Hurricane survivor. Cyberattack victim. Solo builder. Amazon deal hunter.
📧 [email protected]
📍 Grew up in Pennsylvania (Birth–2011) → Fort Myers Beach, FL (2011–2023) → Rebuilding in Pennsylvania (2023–Present)