McDowell Family Relief Fund
If you asked Bill directly, he’d probably just shrug his shoulders and say he was dealt a bad hand.
But this is a situation no family can ever fully be prepared for. Working as a mechanic in 2006, Bill had suffered a permanent injury on his back that left him permanently disabled and unable to work. In the process of treating this injury, an MRI done in 2010 revealed that Bill had a mass on his kidney that turned out to be cancerous. After receiving the surgery to have his kidney removed, Bill was given the devastating news that cancer was also found in his pancreas. It was explained to him that this was not the kind of cancer you beat. Bill had been diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer at just 49 years old. With treatments, doctors had given him an estimate of 6 months to a year to live. After a long tearful conversation with his wife, Kathy, Bill made the painful decision to pull himself out of treatments. He decided that he did not want to spend his last few months on earth suffering through painful radiation and chemotherapy. His new goal was too cherish the time he had left with his family and prayed to live to see his sons graduate high school.
Well fast forward to 2019 and so much has happened in that time! Bill defied all the odds stacked against him. Not only did he get to witness all 3 of his sons graduate high school, he was there to see them off to college and begin their careers. He got to see his oldest son get married and totally turn his life around. He became a grandfather to Liam and Maeve, the two most important people in his life.
Everyone in the family wanted to believe a miracle had occurred, just maybe the diagnosis was wrong and we’d have him with us for many years to come.
After suffering from a bad bout of what was believed to be bronchitis, Bill was given a pet scan on November 12th. Unfortunately, this scan revealed that his cancer has metastasized and spread throughout his entire body. They do not believe he will be with us much longer.
This is absolutely devastating news to the entire family but especially for Kathy who has been by his side for over 43 years. The McDowell’s are a very proud family who would never ask for hand outs. Which is why I am doing it for them.
After Bill had been hurt, Kathy was left as the only one in the house able to work which created a big financial burden on the family. Kathy is currently working full time but the family still heavily relies on Bill’s Social Security Disability Income to help pay the mortgage. Unfortunately, following Bill’s permanent injury and subsequent loss of income the family was forced to cash out their life insurance and 401k to stay a float. And Kathy is now in a position where she does not have any paid time off to take and does not qualify for any short term disability or FMLA benefits to be able to take the time to care for her husband.
In an effort to ease some stress during these difficult times, I would like to help raise funds for them to get by without having finances be an obstacle to them making the most of the time they have been given.
I have been blessed to have Bill in my life and the life of my children and that my son has had at chance to know and fall in love with his “Tall Pop pop.” When Liam was first born and we didn’t feel comfortable putting him in daycare yet, Bill offered to watch Liam everyday for an entire year without ever asking for a dime from us. This man would give you the shirt off his back and is always quick to tell a joke & brighten your day. He can keep you entertained for hours with his commentary on everything from politics to football and loves to talk about his favorite team the Dallas Cowboys when ever possible (please don’t judge him based off of that fact, he still like to believe deep down he is an Eagles fan). He is truly one of a kind.
Bill is an amazing selfless person and I can't say enough about him. He is a great husband to his wife Kathy of 35 years and father to his kids Billy (28), Greg (23) and Jimmy (23). He is the best pop pop ever to Liam (4) and Maeve (10mos). He absolutely loves his family and is grateful to be with them whenever he can.
None of us know how much time we have left on this earth. Time is a gift we all take for granted, and that gift is never fully realized until placed in a situation where that time is threatened.
For Bill, Kathy, their children, and grandchildren- every moment moving foward will be all the more precious.
I assure you, your love and generosity couldn't be given to a more deserving family.
God bless.
