Hello, my name is Tom Tenney, and for more than 3 decades I dedicated my life to creating art on titles like Iron Man and Force Woks for Marvel, DC, Image, Robotech for Comico and even the legendary rock band AC/DC. Art wasn’t only a career… it was my passion and the way I provided for my family.

Over the years I developed and am living with advanced stage 4 COPD, a progressive, terminal illness that has no cure. COPD has affected my ability to work and breathe normally. Since a move up north, the past few months have become some of the hardest of mine and my family's life. My health has declined even more significantly, and every day is a fight for my life. Stage 4 COPD directly affects even my most simple moments — standing up, walking across the room, talking for too long — all can drain me in ways difficult to describe.

It's a constant reminder of just how fragile my life has become. Day after day is an uphill fight for air, strength, and stability. As my health continues to decline, it directly affects our finances to the point of finally collapsing around us.

This GoFundMe is not just about me alone.

My dear Christina lives with type 2 diabetes, while caring for her autistic daughter, who depends on a routine, stability, and a safe environment.

Once we lost our home in Florida and were forced to move north in hopes we would gain some new footing. But it's been a struggle after another with just as many, if not more obstacles. During this time we've been going through, we have had to sleep on friend's couches, sleep in the car and lost practically everything we owned. We are destitute.

I've had multiple hospital stays recently and that has stopped me from doing any convention or comic shop appearances. We are struggling to afford even the most daily of essentials and medications being prescribed to me or the daily oxygen I am required.

Trying to manage advanced COPD — requiring medication, oxygen support, the ability to rest — while trying to live in an unstable environment has been the scariest time of my life. It is also extremely dangerous for someone in my condition. The thought of having to live in the car again, that would be a death sentence for me especially during these hot temperature months.

It is truly life - or - death urgency now.

We're not in a good place and asking for a chance to survive and overcome this. Every cent that comes in is spent just to try and make it through another day. COPD is considered one of the most expensive diseases to treat and we are an example of that.

Every donation goes directly toward:

Life - sustaining medications, oxygen and medical care

Basic survival needs — food and other essentials.

Getting a stable place

Keeping our family together and me alive

I plead with you, hat in hand, to please consider donating to our GoFundMe. For the sake of our 3 souls, I ask. We cannot do this alone.

We are asking you for help and to save my life.

If you can donate — anything — to assist us to keep going and help keep precious air in my lungs.

If you cannot donate, please share our GoFundMe. Visibility could also get our GoFundMe in front of someone who may help save myself and my family.

Thank you for reading. Thank you for caring. And thank you for giving us a chance to make it through this.

I’m scared beyond words, I’m exhausted. And I’m fighting to survive every single day.

Thank you Thomas A. Tenney