This holiday season feels heavier than ever before. On Saturday, the man who has always held our family together received a life-changing diagnosis. Every terrifying phrase and medical term has been spoken more in the last few days than we ever imagined hearing in a lifetime.

On Sunday, Bill was admitted to the hospital, where we learned he has stage 4 metastatic renal cancer. Since then, we’ve been told he has a spinal fracture, a spinal mass, spots on his lungs, and two tumors on his brain — all inoperable. Yesterday, on a day meant for gratitude, he lost the ability to ever walk again.

We have taken hit after hit this week with barely a moment to process one blow before the next arrives. We are not a family that usually asks for anything, but right now we are facing urgent and unexpected needs in order to bring Bill home to spend his remaining time surrounded by the people who love him most.

Before he can come home, we must install a ramp and make essential accessibility adjustments so he can be cared for safely and comfortably. These changes, along with the sudden shift in medical needs, have placed a financial burden on us during an already heartbreaking and overwhelming time.

If you are reading this and can donate, share, or simply lift my mom, my siblings, my daughters, myself, and especially Bill in your thoughts and prayers, we would appreciate it more than we can ever express. Your support means the world to us as we try to give Bill the dignity, comfort, and love he deserves.

Thank you for loving him with us.

Venmo option @Laney-Maricle