On August 27th, my dad and mom came to visit me and my family in Bakersfield, Ca. This is something we had been looking forward to for over a year. My dad had just retired from working at Penske for six years, and we were so excited to spend time together, celebrate this new season of his life, and make new memories.

But just two days into their visit everything changed.

Early Thursday morning, around 3 a.m., my dad began vomiting and feeling very sick. At first, we thought it might just be something he ate the night before. But by noon, his condition hadn’t improved and we rushed him to the ER.

What we thought would be a quick visit turned into something much more serious. The doctors told us my dad was showing signs of a heart attack. They quickly admitted him to the ICU and discovered he had multi-vessel disease, meaning several of the arteries around his heart were dangerously blocked. He needed an urgent bypass surgery and had to be airlifted to Fresno Heart Center.

This was so sudden. Our family is still trying to process everything, and it is bringing back painful memories of when my dad had a stroke in 2001, a time that left a heavy financial burden on my parents.

Now my mom has had to temporarily relocate to Fresno to be close to my dad as he waits for surgery and begins his recovery. Between medical bills, travel expenses, and time away from home, the financial strain has added another layer of stress to an already difficult season.

We are asking first and foremost for prayer over my dad’s health; for a successful surgery, a smooth recovery, and strength for my mom as she cares for him. If you are able, we would also be deeply grateful for any financial support to help relieve some of the pressure on my parents during this time.

Our goal is to raise $10,000 to help cover the cost of housing for my mom in Fresno, meals while she is away from home, gas for travel back and forth, and some of the out-of-pocket medical expenses that insurance does not cover.

From the bottom of my heart, thank you for standing with our family, for your prayers, and for helping us believe for my dad’s full recovery.