Tommy Petzold's Medical Fund

 

 

Recently, Tommy was diagnosed with lung cancer. As you may know, lung cancer is an aggressive disease that is often due to exposure to toxic substances that we breathe. Symptoms often do not appear until cancer cells spread to other parts of the body and prevent other organs from functioning properly. Lung cancer can also occur in people with no known exposure. The latter is the case with Tommy, as he leads a very healthy and active life. So, you can imagine the shock that came with this news.
 
Having undergone several preliminary tests and learning that his cancer has spread to nearby lymph nodes, Tommy now awaits results that will reveal the stage of his cancer and proposed next steps.
 
Tommy has always been an exceptional man in all aspects of his life—father, husband, son, brother, uncle, son-in-law, teammate and friend. As a result, he is surrounded by love, but he will need more than that during these challenging times. He will need our ongoing support as preliminary feedback points to a rough journey that will incapacitate him to some degree. As he continues to compose his medical team at Cleveland Clinic and prepare for his journey fighting this cancer, we ask you to please pray for the best possible outcome, keep him in your thoughts, and send him warm wishes.

Tommy will need time away from work to undergo what doctors describe as rigorous treatment. The loss of pay and out-of-pocket medical expenses will place financial burden on his Family. Please help Tommy, Michelle, and Ava to the degree you can. It will make a world of difference to them. Kindly take the time to donate as you see fit through this GoFundMe page. On behalf of The Petzold Family, we sincerely thank you from the bottom of our hearts.
 
Now we’ll leave you with some words from Tommy himself. Thank you, and God bless you!
 
“Hello, dear friends. My family and friends have informed me they are starting a GoFundMe page, and so I wanted to attach this message:
 
At one point or another in my life, we became friends or are somehow connected. I never really became active in social media for my own reasons, and as most of you have been close to me, know that I’ve always tended to be a somewhat stoic and private person. For those of you who with whom I lost touch, I am happy to tell you that over the past few years, I have been blessed with my loving wife Michelle and our daughter Ava Marie, who is now 2-1/2 years old.
 
I always thought of myself as being a great judge of character, and if we were friends, it means I respected and thought highly of you. I feel hypocritical using social media now, but for a reason like this, I know no other way for my family to reach out for help at this critical time. You are the people who impacted my life at one time, and perhaps I impacted yours in some positive way. I am in a fight for my life. As you read this, and I am not ashamed to admit that I am scared and most importantly worried for my family. Whether it comes in the form of moral support, spiritual prayer, or financial support, if you can find it in your heart to help me stay strong through this, no words could ever express my gratitude. I wish you all health and happiness. Be present, and God bless. Sincerely, Tommy Petzold.”
 
 
Submitted and fund managed by John and Lisa Petzold (brother and sister-in-law) on behalf of the entire Petzold family.