Hi there,

Sadly my step-father passed away on Sunday the 21st after complications from his neck surgery. To say "Step-

Father" isn't the right title! He was my "DAD" for over 25 years. We didn't

have a "good start" but we work it out and in time, won each other over.

His whole life has been in and out of hospital starting at the age of two. His dad put him on the top of the hood of the tractor while cutting the grass. He slipped off and got ran over. He has suffered trauma from the tractor blades hit his head, arm, leg. His pinky toe now on his right leg now lies over the next toe permanently. Many months he was in the hospital. Operations over many years, he would remain going in and out for most of his life.

2015 he was doing yard work a branch fell out of the tree hitting him in his right shoulder. Eventually he ended up having to have finger tips (3) amputated due to doctors not going high enough on an X-ray to see that his rib was crushing and artery sending blood clots and causing his fingers to turn black and years of pain.

In 2023 he was in a car accident, a lady on her cell phone ran a red light and t-boned him causing back and neck issues. Of course the lady didn't have any insurance. So all the stress caused stomach ulcers. Doctors missed those as well. 2 years later the ulcers got so bad that he had rectal bleeding and lost so much blood. He fell and my mom couldn't pick him up. He's a big tall man and she's so small and short. The ambulance had to get him. Three surgeries later and he was sent home never to be the same again. After that fall he couldn't walk right he looked like the giant lurch from The Addams Family. Walking leaning to the right.

In 2024 after waiting for doctors and insurance to approve his back surgery. We were told after the surgery he should be able to walk later that day. However that surgery just made it worse. On 9/11 came his neck surgery. He was a fall risk! Had been since the car accident which had cause blood clots again. The doctor stopped the baby aspirin before the surgery and none for a week after. He was released 24 hours after the neck surgery, even though he was a FALL RISK with blood clots issues.

Once home he got up to try to go to the bathroom and fell again, less than 24 hrs of arriving home. He refused to go to the hospital like he knew the end was coming and wanted to remain at home. A few days later he suffered a blood clot to his lung and so sadly we lost him.

To make things worse both parents work at the IRS which is currently shut down which currently means no paychecks. So my mom is stuck with bills that keep coming in, a funeral she has to pay for with no paychecks. And to make things worse her sister just had heart surgery a few days ago. They found that her stomach is behind her heart and no longer operable. Also they saw spots on her lungs so she's most likely has lung cancer and has to go see the oncologist.

She's going through a lot and could really use some help during this horrible time. It's bad enough losing a love one, but also taking away their paychecks during a time of need is just WRONG! Anything would be greatly appreciated during her time of heartache and grief.

Thank you for this moment it has taken you to read our story.