Thirty-eight years ago I met an amazing man. I didn’t know it then; he was just this big guy who picked me up and would feed me. I’d play with his eyebrows and ride on his shoulders. When I was a baby he held me. When I was a kid he’d play catch with me (he never faulted me for being so awful at it.) And when I became an adult I found a friend that I could talk to for hours. I found myself drawn to his laughter because it sounded so much like my own. 


At six foot-two my father was a giant to me and because he’s taller than me whenever I give him a hug I still get to feel like a little kid. He has always been my hero.


But even heroes get sick.

My father was diagnosed in December with ALS (also known as  Lou Gehrig’s Disease.)
He was told by a dispassionate doctor that he only had six months. His health has been quickly declining. Breathing is difficult because his diaphragm isn’t working. His speech is slurred and his ability to walk, even with a walker, is all but gone.  My dad is my best friend and I want to be able to do as much for him as possible.

He is the most devoted husband to Randi. They are coming up on their thirty-third anniversary in May and are still the most adorable couple.


He's an amazing father to myself, my brother Rob and my sister Emily.


And loving grandfather to Jacob and Rowyn


This man with so much love in his heart, my best friend, is leaving me and I don’t know how to deal with it. I really don’t. I love my dad and I don’t want him to go. 


He recently had to start sleeping with a CPAP because his diaphragm isn’t working anymore. He’s lost a hundred pounds because he can’t eat so he had a feeding tube installed to get him nutrients. 


So this is why I’m here with my hat in hand. I’m asking everyone to help me if you can, to help ease the financial burden of:

-driving three hours one way to the ASL specialists 
-Hospital stays 
-in home care (medical bed, CPAP, etc.)
-hotels for when the weather gets bad on their drives to the hospital (upstate NY in the winter.) 
-possibly a live-in nurse
-We need to look into getting a wheelchair accessible -van 
-etc. 

And it would help me to fly back from California to see him as often as possible.

Thank you for everything you can give, even if it’s just sending out some positivity his way or maybe dropping him a line . You are all amazing and I am eternally grateful to you.
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