The Backstory: A Calling to Care

I’m writing this today not just as a 26-year disabled Army veteran who understands the meaning of service, but as a proud father who wants to see his son’s greatest dream come true. My son, Eric, has spent his entire adult life pouring his heart into the lives of others.

I remember when Eric was 30 and began his career working with children who had lived through the unimaginable. I watched him sit with children who had no stability, guiding them through the unknown with a level of connection and care that moved me. He didn’t just choose a job; he found his purpose. He realized that his life’s work was to lift people up.

Today, Eric is a Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW) and a certified TBRI (Trust-Based Relational Intervention) Practitioner. For eight years, he has been on the front lines, helping "kiddos" navigate trauma and giving them the emotional tools they need to survive and thrive. He is uniquely trained to be a parent, but more importantly, he has the heart for it. However, in the world of social work, you follow a calling, not a paycheck. Eric has given so much to our community’s children; now, I am asking the community to help him have a child of his own.

The Challenge: Navigating the Path to Parenthood

Raising Eric and his brothers was the greatest joy of my life. Eric was always a sensitive, loving boy, and seeing the man he has become is my greatest pride. When Eric came out as gay at 17, I’ll be the first to admit I had a lot to learn about being an ally. But through the years, I have become his most avid supporter. I embrace him for exactly who he is, and I know he will be an incredible father.

However, the reality for a single gay man pursuing fatherhood is daunting. In America, the path to biological parenthood through surrogacy is paved with extreme financial hurdles. It is a path that often feels closed to those who dedicate their lives to public service. Eric isn’t asking for a hand-out; he has spent years preparing for this, but the one-time "price tag" of surrogacy is for most people simply beyond what he and his family can carry.

The Needs: What We Have Done So Far

Eric is one of the most responsible people I know. Before coming to you for help, he has done everything humanly possible to fund this journey himself. To date, Eric has saved $60,309.53. He didn't get there by luck. He accomplished this by:

• Leveraging his home: He took out a Home Equity Line of Credit (HELOC) to jumpstart his savings.

• Aggressive Budgeting: He has been "paying" the cost of future daycare directly into his savings account to ensure his lifestyle is ready for the transition.

• Smart Investing: He has diversified his funds into mutual funds, savings bonds, and high-yield accounts.

• Professional Growth: He is working toward his clinical license (LCSW) to increase his long-term income potential.

Eric’s monthly income is more than adequate to provide a stable, loving home and cover all the ongoing costs of a child—diapers, food, schooling, and health care—once the baby is home. The "day-to-day" of being a dad is a cost he is fully prepared to handle. The hurdle is the one-time start-up cost of the surrogacy itself.

The Costs: Where Your Donation Goes

The total cost for this surrogacy journey is estimated at $85,540.23 with Tammuz Family, a surrogacy agency. We are looking to close the gap between Eric’s hard-earned savings and this total.

It is important to understand that this is a one-time capital need. We are not asking for ongoing support or long-term assistance. Your donation will go directly toward the specialized, one-time fees required to bring this baby into the world, including:

• Surrogacy Agency Fees: For matching and screening.

• Surrogate Compensation & Benefits: Ensuring the woman who carries this child is supported and cared for.

• IVF & Medical Costs: The complex clinical procedures required for a successful pregnancy.

• Legal Fees: To ensure Eric’s parental rights and a secure future for the child.

• Escrow: For unplanned medical or travel expenses during the process.

Here is the transparent timeline of how and when that $85,540.23 will be used:

Contract Signing: $5201.77

First Visit to Surrogacy Site: $44,504.04

Week 10: $17,917.21

Week 18: $17,917.21

Total = $85,540.23

Why This Matters: Building the Village

They say it takes a village to raise a child, but in Eric’s case, it takes a village just to bring the child into the world. My son is kind, patient, and he is ready. In today’s world, we need more fathers like Eric— a man who leads with love. To be a father has been his dream since he was a young man, and to see him hold his son or daughter before my time is through would be an honor.

How You Can Help

We are asking for your help to turn this dream into a reality. Eric has already funded 70% of this journey himself. We are asking the community to help us with the remaining $25,230.70.

Whether you can give $10, $100, or $1,000, every single penny goes directly towards these agency and medical costs. Once the baby is born, your financial help will no longer be needed; Eric's career and planning have taken care of everything that comes after.

If you aren’t in a position to give financially, please share Eric’s story. A share on Facebook, Instagram, or via email helps us reach people we might never meet, but who might be moved by Eric’s dedication to children.

From the bottom of my heart, thank you. I am grateful to have Eric as my son, and I hope this affords him the opportunity to be a blessing in the life of his own child, as he has been in mine.