Open Heart Surgery Fund for Gary

Gary Hamelin is a life long musician and a dear friend to many... He's a father, a grandfather, a brother, a son, and a good man known for volunteering his time to those in need... Whether at a soup kitchen, or for the Boy's & Girls Club teaching mechanical skills to groups of 8-10 yrs old boys by way of building remote control cars, or by inviting a stranger to lunch whom he met on a street that sought spare change, or even by keeping spare clothes in his car to give away should the need arise, Gary has always been a humble humanitarian that saw the need for service to others without recognition...

As a professional and well respected musician, Gary Hamelin has toured the East Coast with the reverent all original band Stare Down The Sun  which opened the shows for such acts as Rob Zombie, Evenesience, Kitty, and Ra as well as there own sold-out headlining shows...  Garys solid professional musicianship and drive found him in such bands and shows as Linsey LaBelle , John Brandoli , Alternative Nation  (with Josh Enemy and Christopher Piquette), Flat On The Falcetos , Wild Heart - A Tribute To Stevie Nicks & Fleetwood Mac , Good To Be King - A Tribute To Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Perfect Strangers , Fine Grind, Black Thorn, Myriad Eyes (opened for Kings X), and more... 

Gary discovered that he has what is called Mitral Valve Regurgitation : a condition in which the heart's mitral valve doesn't close tightly, which allows blood to flow backward in the heart... If regurgitation is severe enough, the heart may enlarge to maintain forward flow of blood, causing heart failure (when the heart does not pump enough blood to the body). After a second opinion and much consideration, it was deemed that Gary's condition is very severe and will require full surgery to replace the valve which will render Gary out of work for at least six weeks provided no coplications arise from recovery... then it's very light duty for up to six months...

At this time, pre-surgery, Gary has been selling most of his musical gear and tools to make ends meet... He owns his own house with a mortgage, utilities, and car that has already been a strain since his recent divorce, and, which, has not allowed him to build up any savings... Gary at this time is living pay check to pay check, and the anticipated time out of work may very well cost him his home... 

This Go Fund Me is put together by  a friend of Gary's  in hopes of reaching out to our friends, family, and our community and beyond to assist Gary to meet his living needs and necessities while undergoing this extremely difficult time!