It is time for my 81-year-old mom, who lives in Maine, to experience the joy and happiness she truly deserves. My mom devoted her life to mothering nine children, but sadly, two of her oldest children are no longer with us. I am her seventh child and the youngest son. When I moved away in my 20s, I settled on the other side of the country in Oregon, which has made it exceedingly difficult to visit her. The truth is, the last time I was able to see my mom was in June 2001, meaning she hasn’t seen me in 24 long years. To add to this heartache, she has never met her granddaughter, who is now 20 years old, married, and planning to start her own family.

For years, I have worked tirelessly to support my own family, but pursuing the American Dream has made it tough to save for the trip to visit my mom. The only way she has seen her granddaughter grow up is through the pictures I've sent her in the mail. Now, at the age of 57, I am faced with a significant setback: I have a chronic back injury that has taken me out of the workforce permanently. The disability benefits I receive barely cover my basic monthly expenses, providing only about 40% of the income I earned while working. Although I occasionally sell my artwork, my worsening back condition is hindering my ability to create the pieces that would normally generate extra income. As time goes on, the urgency of this situation becomes more pressing.

The distance from Oregon to Maine spans approximately 3,150 miles, and I am determined to raise $3,500 to cover the fuel and other expenses associated with what will undoubtedly be a life-changing trip.

This journey is not solely about introducing my mom to her granddaughter and reuniting with her after so many years. It is also about honoring my stepfather, who passed away on December 18, 2018. There is an old fishing hole near my hometown—an idyllic spot where my stepfather and I spent countless hours casting our lines and creating cherished memories together. His dying wish was for his ashes to be spread in that special place, and I am committed to finally fulfilling his last request.

In addition to my stepfather, there is the matter of my uncle, who had a profound influence on my life when I was young. He passed away unexpectedly in early 1983 when I was just 14 years old. At the time, our family lacked the financial means to afford a proper headstone for him, so I used Testors Model Paints to hand-letter his name on a two-inch thick cinder block to serve as a makeshift grave marker. In the summer of 1999, a friend who worked with me in a North Carolina machine shop created a ¾ inch aluminum plaque, which I mounted to a cedar board as a replacement for the cinder block. Unfortunately, I suspect that the cedar board has long since rotted away. Returning to my uncle’s grave to create a sturdy concrete form for the aluminum plaque is important to me, as it will ensure that his memory is preserved for years to come.

On our way back from Maine, I also need to clear out a storage unit in Tennessee that I have been paying on for the past 13 years. While much of its contents can be discarded, there are sentimental heirlooms and priceless possessions that carry deep meaning for my family and me.

Additionally, I have a deeply personal reason for making this trip. When I was seven years old, I came home from school one day to discover an eight-foot maple tree planted in our front yard. I soon learned it was “Mom’s Tree.” Beyond us kids, it was her pride and joy—something she cherished. As a child, I was instinctively drawn to that tree. It became the first base for many of our softball and kickball games in the yard, and later provided welcoming shade for our family picnics. It has now been 50 years since my mom and stepfather transplanted Mom's Tree, and I feel a strong need to see it again. Some may consider this urge childish, but it represents a cherished connection to my family's history and my childhood that I cannot overlook.

There is immense joy, happiness, and closure at stake here, and I am confidently asking for your generous donations to make this campaign a success.

I refuse to wait any longer. With your help, I intend to drive my 37-foot motor coach with my daughter and her husband to Maine to surprise my mom. I need your support to bring three generations together before summer ends. The stark reality is that my mom may not have another year to embrace her family.

Flying is not an option for me due to lung issues, which only heightens my determination to make this journey.

While we are in Maine, I also have two sisters—one living in Maine and the other in Massachusetts—as well as four nephews and a great-nephew that I have never met. This trip will be an incredible opportunity for my daughter to meet her aunts and cousins for the first time. Furthermore, it will allow me to show her the town and the house where I grew up, as well as the schools I attended, addressing the many questions she has about my childhood.

I appreciate you taking the time to read my story, and I urge you to consider donating today.

If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to reach out to me. However, I respectfully ask that if you have nothing positive to contribute regarding this campaign, you keep those thoughts to yourself. Thank you, and God bless.