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My name is Sonny Butler. I find myself in need of some help.
I moved to Jackson in 1980. I started working for INO Plumbing out of Jackson. Later I went into business for myself where you may know me from, "Sonny's Plumbing".
In 1993 I was diagnosed with non Hodgkin's lymphoma. After many years of fighting this dreadful disease, the treatments that were used to cure me, also damaged me.
In 2021 the doctors found that my kidneys are shutting down and I need a transplant. At this time I am undergoing kidney dialysis.
Up until then I managed to work and use whatever resources I had available to make it by. Now at my age and kidney condition, it has become physically impossible for me to get out and make a living.
Thank God, I have been blessed with family and friends who have reached out to help. Even with their generous help, I am struggling. You'll never know how much I appreciate your support. Your donation, no matter how small, can create a significant impact. Your kind generosity will make a difference. Thank you, Sonny
Sonny Butler is a longtime plumber in Jackson who is battling a host of medical ailments that have left him struggling to manage his medical bills.
JEANNETTE BONER/Jackson Hole Daily
Sonny Butler needs a new kidney While the 68-year-old plumber from Jackson waits, he maintains daily with dialysis while battling the a host of ailments that have left him struggling to manage his medical bills. At the encouragement of his family, he is asking for help, though it’s difficult for the self-reliant Butler to do so, he said.
From his sister’s dining room table last week he said, “My life took an unexpected turn,” of his mounting medical needs. Once busy running Sonny’s Plumbing, he scaled back his work significantly and moved in with family in Driggs, Idaho. Here he has received additional support.
Butler grew up in New Hampshire and started plumbing when he was 14. It was a good profession, and he brought his skills west.
He had wanted to head farther north to Alaska, but a visit with two friends living in Jackson changed his mind.
“Why go to Alaska when Jackson had everything?” Butler said, thinking about the easy access to some of the best hunting and fishing that the Tetons have to offer.
Butler was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma in 1993.
It’s a type of cancer that begins in the lymphatic system, which is part of the body’s germ-fighting immune system, according to the Mayo Clinic.
The journey to combat the cancer, which included a bone marrow transplant from his older sister, has weakened his body, he said. Between heart issues and a growing cough in his lungs, Butler’s doctors told him his kidneys were also starting to fail.
Butler is on Medicare, which will cover about 80% of his treatments, but the co-pays, travel to medical facilities in Jackson and Idaho Falls, credit card debt, and the inability now to earn a living, have left him in a bind.
He credits the grace of God for his ability to continue his fight for his life.
A GoFundMe has been established to help support Butler with his finances.
To find it, go to GoFundMe.com and search for Malcolm Butler.
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