Hi, I’m Nick, a tennis coach from England. I live with my wife Anna and 2 lovely/crazy boys, Rafa & Leo. Last week my Dad, Ray, was given only weeks to live thanks to a Glioblastoma brain tumour the size of a tennis ball.

 

The Doctors in England told an otherwise fit, alert, happy 77 year old there is no treatment, no time, no hope. He was about to embark on his trip of a lifetime. His lifetime. It’s an

incredible story…

 

In WW2, Dad’s father, Raymond Ford was in the US Army Air Corp

stationed in England from 1942 where he served in the 382nd Bomb Group

of the 8th Air Force. As the war ended and he returned to America, my fatherwas born and given the same name, Raymond. Sadly this was the only link to his father as he was never to hear from him again.

Raymond Ford

Dad believed for 75 years the chapter on his father was forever closed.

 

However, 2 years ago a DNA test site (sent by my sister, Kate) got a match from a man in Alabama, USA.  Unbelievably we had found my Dad’s half brother called Buddy! Kate made contact, the whole family in Alabama were excitedly stunned by this revelation. Buddy, Jim and Peggy suddenly had a new brother and a new extended family was born!!

 

 

Last year, my wife and I sought zoom meetings with many lawyers in the US to enquire if my Dad could apply for American citizenship in honour of his roots. Every single lawyer we asked

either didn’t respond, didn’t want the case or simply believed it could not be done. Simply put, a case like this after 75 years was literally unheard of.

 

We did not give up, and one lawyer called Dillon didn’t either. To cut a long story short, after nearly 2 years of research, DNA tests, sifting through Army records and presenting our case to the United States Embassy, Dad finally took the Oath of Allegiance andbecame a citizen of the United States.

 

Last year would have been the trip of my Dad’s lifetime. He would travel to America for the first time as an American Citizen, with a US passport, and visit the family he never knew. But sadly, more COVID restrictions postponed this incredible trip until this year. Now a Glioblastoma brain tumour has robbed him of this journey and life.

 

I didn’t give up getting dad’s citizenship and I won’t give up now!

There is brain tumour treatment available in Turkey. The Doctor is very impressive and we have decided as a family to place my Dad in his hands.  This treatment will never cure my Dad, but it CAN give him the gift of 1 or 2 years, maybe longer.

 

The treatment is £25,000 including radiology back at home and we are scrambling together as a family to find this money before it’s too late. The treatment literally HAS to happen within a week, before this fast growing tumour crushes his brain into his spinal cord. I ask you to please, please help in any small way you can.

 

We sent a video of my Dad to the surgeon wishing me happy birthday last Friday. The surgeon is pleased he is looking so well and is positive he can be helped, but only if we are quick.

 

 

 

Please help give my Dad some time to see his grandchildren a little longer, to make the trip to America to visit the brothers and sisters he never met. Please help Ray get well enough to visit his father’s grave and close that chapter of his life. Please help him finish his story

 

Thank you from all of us!

 

Nick & Anna, Kate, Lucy, Ray & Sue,

Buddy, Jim and Peggy