Hatcher Family Alaska Trip

Most of you know that I was diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis in March 2014, which is a progressive neuromuscular disorder that causes ascending weakness of the muscles.  Currently, I am a quadriplegic confined to a wheelchair, and I also have difficulty swallowing, eating, talking, and breathing.  My wife, Beth, and her mother, Ann, provide for most of my care.  They, along with others, have worked tirelessly to help me fight this devestating disease and make me as comfortable as possible.  However, this has come at great financial, emotional, and physical expense.

Thankfully, Team Gleason, a non-profit organization started by former NFL player, Steve Gleason, who also has ALS, has gracially agreed to send myself, along with Beth and my two children, Dustin and Shelby, on an Alaskan cruise from May 31 through June 7 of this year.  This was the one trip I have dreamed about and wanted to experience before ALS takes over my entire body.  This will be the first, and likely only, trip I will ever get to take with my children.  Team Gleason has ageed to pay for our airfare and cruise entirely, and we are so thankful to them for making this vacation a reality.  

However, there will be additional expenses for travel.  We will need a hotel room in Seattle before we depart, gas money to get to Nashivlle (where we fly from), and spending money for food and asundries.  We will certainly want to take in the full experience of Alaksa by taking excursions at the ports we stop in and hopefully bring home a few souveniers.  I would love to help alleviate some of the financial burden off of Ann and Beth, and not have to cause more debt for us.  So please help me if you can give my family the trip they deserve.  We are so grateful to all of the support that we have already been given through these difficult times.  And we will be ever grateful for any additional financial support you can provide and will make every penny count to make this the trip of lifetime. 

Thank you all!!
Derrick