{"id":393603,"date":"2026-09-08T11:36:13","date_gmt":"2026-09-08T11:36:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/393603\/"},"modified":"2026-09-08T11:36:13","modified_gmt":"2026-09-08T11:36:13","slug":"local-folks-joe-lapointe-iii-resident-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/393603\/","title":{"rendered":"Local Folks: Joe LaPointe III \u2013 Resident News"},"content":{"rendered":"

He may only be 25, but Joseph LaPointe III \u2013 known to those who meet him behind the bar at Tepeyolot Cerveceria simply as Joe \u2013 lives his life with a clarity and optimism that only a life-changing experience can bring.<\/p>\n

That clarity and optimism stem from a harrowing motorcycle accident he survived last April and the ensuing, arduous road to recovery: One day last April, Joe had no memory of the events leading up to the moment he woke up with a concussion and broken fibula on the side of the Butler Boulevard on-ramp, where he\u2019d lain unconscious for two hours.<\/p>\n

When he next woke, he found himself surrounded by family, laid up in a hospital bed, where he promptly learned that his insurance had lapsed one month earlier. Faced with impending surgery and physical therapy, Joe knew the road to recovery would be a challenging one, but the people in his life let him know he wouldn\u2019t have to do it alone.<\/p>\n

His mother, Jessica, who works with him at Tepey\u2019s, started a GoFundMe to help offset medical costs, transportation, and living expenses so Joe could focus solely on himself. His work family at Tepey\u2019s rallied behind him as well, with the restaurant hosting a share night to raise funds for their friend. Other local businesses like Bar Crew Jax and Tommy Gunns Tattoo Shop also pitched in with fundraising and events.<\/p>\n

\"JoeJoe recovering from his accident<\/p>\n

\"JoeJoe is a Jacksonville native.<\/p>\n

\"JoeJoe and his mother, Jessica.<\/p>\n

Joe said he has never been comfortable taking charity from others without doing something in return, but was immensely thankful for the outpouring of support he received from his friends and coworkers.<\/p>\n

\u201cI never expected it, but the community came together. People I hadn\u2019t seen in years donated what they could,\u201d Joe recounted.<\/p>\n

The months ahead were difficult, especially after his first procedure resulted in complications. Joe endured two surgeries, resulting in 15 screws in his leg, and had to wear a boot for nine months before emerging on the other side of his ordeal. This life lesson, which started with a springtime motorcycle ride, has taught him that you can get through anything.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s always a light at the end of the tunnel,\u201d Joe said. \u201cYou might not see it, but it\u2019s there. You just gotta have perseverance.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"JoeJoe and Brett<\/p>\n

\"JoeJoe with his family growing up<\/p>\n

\"JoeJoe and his younger brother Brett<\/p>\n

Joe might not be able to run or sprint like he used to, but he says he is just thankful to be here. The experience has profoundly shaped his outlook on life.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s the point of complaining or being negative all the time?\u201d Joe said, shrugging. \u201cYou never know which day will be your last.\u201d<\/p>\n

Though he did not consider himself to be a particularly religious person before, the accident also caused Joe to find God and discover his faith.<\/p>\n

\u201cI felt that I was kept here for a reason, given a second chance,\u201d he explained. \u201cThere are a lot of people that don\u2019t get that chance.\u201d<\/p>\n

Since the accident, he has spent more time with his family, which is now easier than ever because his younger brother recently joined Joe and his mom at Tepey\u2019s. A Jacksonville native and former Boy Scout with Troop 5 in Arlington, he also enjoys spending time outside. He is particularly fond of shooting hoops at Bruce Park, where he played basketball as a kid.<\/p>\n

For too many of us, the idea of seizing the day or living each day as if it were our last is an inspiring motto, but one that is difficult to embody in the rat race of daily life. But after all he has been through, Joe needs no encouragement or reminder to enjoy life\u2019s simple pleasures, live each day with gratitude, and stay positive.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"He may only be 25, but Joseph LaPointe III \u2013 known to those who meet him behind the…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":393604,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[116,118,117],"class_list":["post-393603","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-jacksonville","tag-jacksonville","tag-jacksonville-headlines","tag-jacksonville-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/393603","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=393603"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/393603\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/393604"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=393603"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=393603"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=393603"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}