Help My Dad Fulfill His Final Wish to Honor the Father He Never Knew

My name is Michael Powell, and I’m fundraising for my 80-year-old father, who is in the final stage of a heartbreaking journey. He has terminal Stage IV metastatic urothelial carcinoma, which has spread to his bones and lungs. His life expectancy is now less than six months.

Despite the pain and the rapid decline in his health, my dad has one final wish:

to travel to Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, to see his father’s name—Alton C. Powell—on the Combat Aircrew Roll of Honor memorial.

My dad never knew his father. He was killed in action during World War II when my dad was just 3 days old. In his father’s honor, my dad entered the US Navy and served in Vietnam. Growing up without a father left a lifelong void, and visiting this memorial is his last opportunity to feel a connection he never had the chance to experience. It would mean everything to him.

Because of his illness, and the costs associated with end-of-life care, our family does not have the financial means to make this trip possible. Funds raised will help cover:

• Travel and lodging for my father and a family caregiver

• Medical accommodations needed for travel

• Ground transportation and mobility assistance

• Any remaining funds will go toward his end-of-life needs

This trip is not just travel—it is closure, healing, and the fulfillment of a wish my father has carried his entire life.