Tony. Stickelman.

 

Oh, the stories you could tell just hearing this name, I am certain, are nothing less that pure entertainment. I would bet 99% of those stories occurred in Franklin since he has spent this whole life dedicated to the community. Whether it is football, wrestling, coaching, grabbing a beer, golfing, hunting (and I am sure the list goes on), my Dad lives and breathes being a Franklin WILDCAT! Once a wildcat, always a wildcat! Whenever I am with him, there's at least 20 people we pass who yell "Hey, Stick" or "Hi, Coach". I'm always surprised how many people still like him (just kidding!)

 

I think that says a lot about the character of my Dad. Is he hard-headed? Lord, yes. Is he kind of an A-hole? Yep, you betcha. But, do people love and respect him endlessly? Absolutely. He would give the shirt off his back to help another person. I would bet that my Dad has done something to help you or your family...whether be buying a player on his team new cleats because they couldn't afford it or simply buying you a beer at Duffer's. His name is big in Franklin, but his heart is 10 fold.

 

Many of you may know, my Dad, was diagnosed with Esophageal Cancer last month. It has been a long & trying process getting the right diagnoses and plan to attack. He recently had a tumor removed from his vocal chords, thinking that was the problem. But, as we went from doctor to doctor, we sadly found more. Now, we are finally in the best hands with a Head & Neck Cancer Specialist to tackle this rare cancer.

 

The process is long, but his spirits are high! My dad will undergo a 2 part surgery. First being to remove cartilage from his ear and implant in his forearm. His second, and very invasive, surgery will be removing the cancerous mass and rebuilding his trachea with this new cartilage. This is scheduled for mid/end of January.

 

The recovery will be a challenging time for my Dad. If you know him at all, you know he is GO-er. He never sits longer than 20 minutes (unless he's at the bar having a beer!). He will require 24/7 care for up to 6 weeks and will have a Trach and Feeding Tube for the majority of that time. Lord help us all with his stubbornness!

 

The medical bills for this innovated surgery and Home Health Care are astronomical. He is looking at well over $100,000+ out of pocket for this rare surgery. My sincere goal for this Go Fund Me, is to relieve my Dad of financial stress so he can focus on his recovery and the months ahead. We would be honored if you are able to donate and appreciate your gracious support.

 

Note: Unbeknownst to my Dad, I am creating this Go Fund Me to surprise him with the support and encouragement from the Wildcat community! We are planning to also host a fundraiser in the next upcoming weeks, hopefully prior to his second surgery in January. More details to come on that!

 

Thank you for your support and generosity through this trying time!

 

With love,

Carly

 

Update: Tomorrow is my Dad's first surgery. I will post updates here. Prayers please!