Help a young airman far from home recover from brain surgery

On Wednesday, April 23, airman Daniel Kabtamu underwent a 6.5-hour surgery to remove a 2" tumor deep in the middle of his brain. Danny's diagnosis -- Central Neurocytoma -- was stunning, coming after he passed out at work at RAF Lakenheath in Suffolk, England. There are only about 100 documented cases of this tumor in the world, according to his surgeon.

Thankfully the surgery was successful, with the surgeon able to to extract the entire tumor. His prognosis is very good. But recovery will not be easy.

On Saturday after his surgery, we had our first Facetime with him since the surgery. To see him struggle so hard to find our names, to find the word "love," was one of the hardest moments of my life. He looked so forlorn.

It's hard to see anyone in the early stages of a brain injury. But to see someone so young, just 24, struggling like this is even harder. I thought it would be Danny reaching out to comfort me, which he would be one of the first to do.

But the next day, he could find our names and his infectious smile was back. We know tomorrow will be better. Indeed was, with Danny able to stand and hug his mother on that Monday and then, last Wednesday, feed himself breakfast and pour water into a cup, as shown in the photo of him smiling in bed. This was a big step, one reason for his wide smile.

His extended family -- including his amazing Air Force family, which he joined last summer -- plan to surround him with love, support and resources. Hence this fundraiser.

What Danny needs

The Air Force has been spectacular, paying for his surgery and for his mother to travel 3,500 miles to be with him. But no one can say how long Danny's recovery journey will last. No one knows how soon he will be able to return to his work, or how long the Air Force will be able to wait for him to return. We want to build a fund that he can use for long-term therapy and, if needed, his transition to civilian life.

How much?

We don't know what Danny's needs are going to be. Our goal was $10,000. But his and his family's needs may greatly exceed this amount. Every day we see progress. But there is a long way to go. He's not yet walking. Words are still coming slowly. He's getting five hours a week total of physical, occupational and language therapy. Having his mother there every day interacting with him has been invaluable. We don't know how long she can stay, having a full-time job and two children still at home.

We think the over-time needs of Danny and his family could be large. His mother has been extraordinarily appreciative and relieved by the support that has been coming in. We plan to keep providing updates and to ask people to share Danny's story as widely as possible.

Plus, raising money is just one purpose of this appeal. We also want to show Danny how many people support his recovery, helping motivate him to do the hard work ahead and to not fall into despair.

A gift of just $5 can show this support: "We care about you man. We want you back."

Who is sponsoring this appeal?

My wife and I have been blessed to be part of Danny's family since before he was born, one of many extraordinary results of our daughter's open adoption. We were part of a large village that helped raise Danny and his older brother. Emotionally, they are part of our family. Their family has welcomed us. We are organizing this appeal so his family can focus on Danny's recovery.

What's next?

Danny's mother and aunt are with him in England, having flown immediately to be with him during the operation. Two close friends did the same thing, a sign of how deeply he is loved.

The photo of Danny smiling in his hospital bed says so much about him. He is one of the most good-natured young men we've ever known. People are drawn to him, both for his nature and his intelligence.

We know both qualities are going to get him through this. But it will take ongoing support. We will continue to proide regular updates about how Danny's recovery is going. We know it's going to be an inspiring story.

Thank you for caring.