Why I Started KONVOY

KONVOY Began with a Phone Call

Every morning, Elizabeth, living in California, would call her grandmother in Rye, New York, just to make sure everything was okay.

One morning, her grandmother didn’t answer.

A communication gap opens the worry window.

A knot formed in Elizabeth’s stomach. There were no relatives nearby, yet 911 felt too extreme. So, she waited. Three hours later, her grandmother returned her call. Her phone had died overnight. No emergency. No injury. No need to worry.

illustration of woman sitting in chair trying to make a phone call to her grandmother

But, to Elizabeth, it highlighted a significant problem: When you’re worried about someone you love, and it isn’t a 911-level situation, there’s no clear response.

Uncertainty is common when caring for an elderly loved one.

Elizabeth shared what happened with a work colleague, Jonn.

When he heard the story, he wasn’t surprised. He had similar experiences.

Jonn’s parents live in Minnesota, but he lives in California. He knew the feeling. “No answer” could mean “just busy” or it could mean “something’s horribly wrong.” He was also very familiar with the pitfalls of neighbor favors, texts to siblings, and quiet anxiety.

Between Elizabeth, her father Terrence, and Jonn, they knew there had to be a better solution. So, they placed a phone call that changed everything.

Finding the right solution for the family safety gap

Michael, a friend and former law enforcement officer in Westchester, answered. Elizabeth told him about her grandmother. Then Michael walked them through a process most people don’t know:

Families have an all-or-nothing choice: Do nothing and worry or escalate to an emergency 911 call
911 is essential, but it’s built for clear emergencies, not for a feeling of “something might be wrong.”
311 is non-emergency, overscheduled, and too spread out.