My name is Sue Stafford. I am writing this campaign, along with my siblings Jenn, Matt, and Tyler, on behalf of our father, Butch Coward. On Wednesday, October 9th, Hurricane Milton came ashore near our hometown of Punta Gorda, Florida. During the storm, our dad's house somehow caught on fire and burned to the ground. Fortunately, our dad was not home during the storm because he chose to ride the storm out at our uncle's house. When they went to check on his house the following morning, they were shocked to find nothing but a pile of smoking ashes. This is the house our dad built with his own two hands 43 years ago that we all grew up in. Our dad has lost everything and is now facing a very daunting reality as he begins to pick up the pieces and start over. This is definitely not something he had on his "almost time to retire" bingo card.

We have been overwhelmed with requests from friends and family asking us what they can do and how they can help our dad. Anyone who knows our dad understands that this couldn't have happened to a nicer and more giving individual, so we understand why so many people are wanting to help. We decided to start this campaign to help raise money for our dad so he can begin to rebuild his life. The funds we raise will go directly to our dad so he can purchase clothing, shoes, and other essentials. All he has right now is his car and the clothes on his back. Our dad will be splitting his time staying with our Uncle in Punta Gorda and with my sister Jenn and I in Cape Coral. He will also be traveling to spend time with my brothers.

At this time, we have no idea what caused the fire. He did not have any electric vehicles or anything like that in or near the house that could have caused a fire. We believe it was most likely a power surge that happened at some point when the power was going in and out. Our dad lost everything in the house, including his beloved '69 Camaro that was in the garage. He has had that car since he was a teenager and was working on restoring it. We are very grateful that dad was not home during the fire and that he is safe. Everything else can be replaced. This will not be easy, but thanks to your support, we can help make it a little bit easier for him. Thanks in advance for helping our dad!