On October 1st, our lives changed forever. My father and younger brother, Dave, were in a horrific accident while hunting on a remote mountain in Alaska. My father was killed and my brother severely injured.

My dad served as a Deputy Sheriff with the Hampden County Sheriff’s Office in Massachusetts for 39 years. He was a ninth degree Black Belt in Kenpo Karate and an instructor for 40 years. He was a firearms instructor, an outdoorsman, and an entrepreneur.

The Story:

My father slipped while making his way down a steep portion of the mountain. As he tumbled, he headed straight for a cliff. My brother threw himself in front of my dad’s body to stop him - but they both fell over the ledge. Miraculously, my brother survived the 200 foot fall, but had serious injuries: lacerations everywhere, abdominal bleeding, a right shoulder fully out of its socket with every tendon and ligament in it torn, a torn right bicep, four fractured vertebrae, and multiple broken ribs. He was able to use Siri to call 911 from his shattered phone that was somehow still in his pocket. He was told the helicopter may take 6 hours…My brother slid down another hundred yards to where my father was. It was clear he had hit his head. He wasn’t breathing and didn’t have a pulse. Dave performed CPR for three hour until the rescue helicopter came.

My dad was pronounced dead upon arrival to the hospital.

My brother Dave does not have health insurance. My father did not have life insurance.

Humbly, we are seeking funds to help pay for Dave’s hospital bills, upcoming shoulder surgery, physical therapy, funeral/service costs, and financial assistance for my mother over the coming months as she navigates her new reality without her husband of 41 years.

I assure you that the decision to ask for assistance was not arrived upon lightly. If it were up to my mom and my brother, we’d figure it out on our own. This was my call, and I promise you, we have no choice.

No donation is too small. Any contribution helps and will be met with an appreciation beyond my ability to express here in text.

A link to the full story can be found here:

https://www.facebook.com/John.DeLuca25/posts/pfbid0R8jgYmPXnU4o6xmQmeWXLweKVEjpJS8CaKjBdv34JGFQd3TwTHBoUnfjLnpxzeSPl

From the bottom of my heart, thank you.