Hi there, my name is Kati deLoyola, and if you’re reading this I truly appreciate you taking a moment to do so. I’m a very close friend of Lin Sookdee, who has been near and dear to my heart for over 10 years.

Here is why we are raising funds in Lin's and her brother Jiroj's words:

Please help us get our dad back home. Earlier this year, our parents left Thailand to visit their grandchildren in Chicago. In August, I received a video call from my mother, where she asked if I knew what was going on with my dad, and then pointed the camera at him. There he was, lying on the living room floor. My response was to call 911 immediately. My sister, a nurse, suspected he was having a stroke, and we were able to direct the paramedics to take him to UIC hospital.

Dad was in the intensive care unit for almost a whole month. During which, he progressed from a bleed on the right side of the brain to three major blockages on the left. A month before, he was talking normally and living life the way he wanted to.

Eventually, Dad was healthy enough to leave the ICU and start physical therapy. Even though there was some improvement, it wasn’t significant. We’ve had friends tell us of family members and loved ones who went through a similar situation and got better only after many months to a year, but we didn’t have that much time. Unfortunately, insurance only covered one month at that facility. Dad is now at their apartment in Bridgeport, where my mom and sister are taking care of him full-time.

Our plan is to have them come back home to Thailand, which brings us to the crux of the matter. The medical flight alone with an accompanying nurse will cost us $30K. Not to mention the cost of medical care in Thailand. This is the first time we have ever written or done something like this, so on behalf of our dad, we would like to please ask for your help in donating funds to bring him back home to Thailand. Thank you for taking the time to read all of this and get to know our story a little better. We hope that life treats you kindly and that you are able to spend as much time with your loved ones as possible.

All donations will go directly to the Sookdee's bank account so it can be used immediately towards funds for the medical flight with an accompanying nurse to bring Mr. Sookdee back home to Thailand.

If you aren't able to donate at this time, please pass this along to other people in our community. Thank you for taking a moment to read this. On behalf of Lin's family, it is much appreciated.