Lazzara Family ALS Battle

To our Friends and Family,

I hope this message finds you well. My family and I are reaching out with heavy hearts to share a difficult challenge we are currently facing in regards to my dad, Rich Lazzara. In July 2021, Dad was diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis or ALS.  ALS is a progressive neurological disease commonly known as Lou Gehrig's disease after the baseball player who was diagnosed with it. It affects control of the muscles needed to move, speak, eat, and breathe. Unfortunately, there is no cure. ALS is a fatal disease. At this point, my Dad has lost his ability to walk, feed himself and also struggles with breathing and talking.  

For those of you who know my Dad you recognize that it is an absolute honor to know him. He has always been the most supportive, intentional and compassionate person to everyone he encounters. Despite this awful disease and all it has taken from him he remains steadfast in his faith and expresses love, care, and understanding to those around him.  

ALS has presented many hardships affecting not only dad's physical capabilities but has also taken a toll on our entire family's emotional and financial well-being. The disease has caused him to be unable to work in the yacht brokerage business for almost two years. Our family has been blessed to have extended family and friends who have supported us during this time. However, their resources are being stretched and with my dad's weakening condition more help is needed.

In an effort to provide the best care and support for him my family has decided to seek additional financial support through this GoFundMe campaign. Our goal is to secure funding for Home Health Care providers who can assist him. The average cost for a full time Caregiver is approximately $140,000 per year. All proceeds raised will go directly towards this purpose along with any additional equipment and resources needed to navigate the challenges caused by his disease and disabilities. By securing a full-time caregiver our hope is not only to ensure the highest quality of care for him, but also to provide my mom the additional help she has desperately needed for some time now. She currently holds the role as my dad's primary caregiver all while fulfilling her role as a full time mom to eight children.

Your contribution no matter the amount will make a difference as we battle ALS together. We equally appreciate you sharing our story and this GoFundMe with others. More than anything, your prayers for my dad and our family mean the most to us. We deeply appreciate your caring support.

Last year our family's story was featured at Bell Shoals Church during their ministry series called Difference Makers. We felt honored to share how God has created our diverse and dynamic crew of ten. Please check out our story at the link below. The video beautifully provides insight into who my parents are and their solid trust in God's plans for our family. God has surprised us with some remarkable blessings that only He could provide!

https://youtu.be/tDZmQHvMyWg?si=o9Gd_a0fLLgrQLs6

Thank you for taking the time to learn about our family. And thank you too for your love, generosity, and support in so many ways.

All our love,

The Lazzara Family