Aid Joe Thornton Jr and His Mother in Crisis

My good friend Joe Thornton Jr. is a fellow actor here in LA. Joe moved to Los Angeles in 1996, sacrificing time away from family back East in pursuit of his dream. He’s a great actor, and you’ve most likely seen him on TV (NCIS, General Hospital, Jane The Virgin, etc.). We met 21 years ago while doing a play called “A Soldier’s Play” at a theater in Hollywood, and he quickly became one of my very best friends. He’s the whole reason I met my wife in Las Vegas (of all places) 20 years ago after a bad breakup, as we went there to celebrate his 40th birthday.

Earlier this year, Joe suffered a stroke just before his 60th birthday. Not long after that, he suffered yet another debilitating stroke. As if that wasn’t enough, while in the hospital, he was told he had advanced stage prostate cancer. Joe, being the private and independent person he is, not wanting to ever bother others with his personal issues, never really disclosed any of this to anyone, including his mother back home in Norfolk, VA. After literally months and months of calls, messages, and unsuccessful random pop-up visits and still not hearing back from Joe, like many fellow friends reading this right now, I am just finding out about the 2nd stroke and cancer.

So why the GoFundMe?

Upon finally hearing the news about her son (from an amazing actor friend who finally found Joe and made him go to the hospital), Joe’s 81-year-old mother hopped on the first thing smoking to LA from Virginia with limited funds, not knowing anyone in LA but her son or where she’d even stay. One week ago, I randomly met her (for the first time) outside Joe’s apartment right before I was about to call the police for help locating him. She informed me Joe was in a nursing home and was being evicted after not being able to work and pay rent following the strokes. This 81-year-old strong and determined lady was going up and down stairs trying to move her son’s belongings out of his apartment…by herself!!! I also learned that, for 3 weeks now, this 81-year-old lady who knows NOTHING about Los Angeles has been taking expensive Uber rides back and forth from where she’s staying (over an hour away) to Joe’s apartment, the hospital he was in, the nursing home he’s currently at, Joe’s main doctor, Joe’s neurologist, Joe’s new cancer doctor, etc., etc. The list goes on and on. Did I mention she’s 81, lives across the country, has only JUST found out her son is sick, and is now running around Los Angeles, a majorly congested city, knowing NOTHING about it… by herself???

As many reading this may know, I was a 24/7 caregiver to my mother up until her recent passing, and I can ASSURE you that this is not easy. It also isn’t cheap. I live in the suburbs over 50 miles away, but, after meeting her a week ago, I have been meeting her at Joe’s nursing home every day to help her figure this all out, move Joe’s things out of his apartment, get him to appointments, make sure she eats, and attempt to help save her son’s (and my dear friend’s) life.

She didn’t ask me to do any of this, but I humbly ask that if you can spare anything to help her and Joe that you please do so. She now has Joe’s car, but California gas ain’t cheap… the food ain’t cheap… all the medical and personal costs she and her son are incurring daily on this journey ain’t cheap. Those who know me know that I know this firsthand all too well. Her plan is to somehow eventually move him to Virginia with her, and that too will not be cheap…at all. With a wife and two young kids of my own, often times 2+ hours away with LA traffic, there’s only so much I can do. Please help if you can. Thank you in advance.