This weekend Lamar was badly injured by a sudden and severe storm. We were celebrating Ben’s 8th birthday at the neighborhood pool when all of the sudden the sky darkened and it began to rain. Everyone began to get out of the pool and gather our belongings, but within about 10 seconds, the weather went from just dark sky and drizzle to insane gusts of wind and sheets of rain. The wind was so strong that it was picking up the tables with umbrellas and was throwing them not in to the pool, but over it. There were umbrellas flying everywhere and chairs being thrown around. We had about 10 children with us for the birthday party, so the adults were all frantically trying to gather the children and make it to the clubhouse.

There was a group next to us who had a large canopy tent set up and they had children with them too. Dad saw them struggling with their canopy tent and ran over to try to help them restrain it so it didn’t fly off and hurt anyone. While fighting the tent, a flying table and umbrella struck him in the arm and head, throwing him into the chain link fence behind him. Bleeding from the head and grabbing his arm, we heard him screaming in pain and immediately called 911. The ambulance took him to a nearby hospital where x-rays revealed that he has a severe clean break in his forearm and has fractured his L4 vertebrae. His forearm will require (yep, another) surgery to repair. He has been discharged from the hospital in Charlotte and is heading home to Mount Airy for the surgery.

He is in a tremendous amount of pain despite the Percocet which is making him physically sick even with the anti-nausea meds. Walking is extremely painful for him right now. Obviously he will be out of commission for a bit and unable to get to work. On top of that, Mom will be needing to take a some time from work to care for him and help him recover.

If you know our dad, you know that he has been under a dark cloud (quite literally, this time) of misfortune for over a year now. It has been one thing after another for him, as soon as he has healed from one thing, something else knocks him right back down (again, literally). It has only been a few weeks that he has been able to pick his guitar back up since his rotator cuff surgery and bicep repair.

Again, if you know Lamar, you know he is one of the kindest, most generous and caring people you will ever meet. I can’t say enough to attest for his character and I know many of you would agree that there aren’t many people in the world like our dad. He is the last person to deserve all this.

There is only so much to be done to physically help, but my siblings and myself want more than anything for them to be able to recover from this without the added concern of financial stress due to being out of work, which they are already worrying about.

If you find yourself able to donate, any amount is graciously appreciated and will help them tremendously. Thank you all for your concern, please keep Dad in your thoughts and prayers.