Tony Lopez passed 5/2/19 now Sandy needs our help
Donation protected
My dad passed on 5/2/19 and my mom is in need of assistance as soon as possible to be able to finish the funeral arrangements and missed days at work.
I am creating the fundraiser with her permission but it took A LOT of convincing and I had to remind mom that Tony & Sandy is where most of us went for financial assistance. Regardless if for a loan, a couch to crash on, a helping hand, a good spot on a parade route in front of one of our offices, they were there and tolerated many dishonest people and usually gave them a 2nd chance and some even a 3rd & 4th chance to prove they had mended their ways. I also reminded her that God has a plan for us all and there is no shame in saying you need help.
We are hoping to ease our 72 yr. old full-time working mother while she catches up after a sudden move and loss of her soul mate.
This may be a bit of a read but it has some great background info on my folks that I hope some will remember or identify with.
I hope you take the time to read it, and any contributions will be of great help. I have set a super high goal but I always look up and aim high in hopes to alleviate my mom, Sandy for a few months as the grieving of a partner you spent LITERALLY every minute with for 36 years for work, fun, play, good times and bad, all of it side by side is more than my Momminess' heart can take which means she is not getting the hours at work needed to maintain the bills that are piling up.
Here is a little background for those who were not lucky enough the have met my parents, my dynamic duo: Tony & Sandy Lopez...
Dad's life of mischief and mayhem changed when he met Sandy in his late 30's. From becoming a partner, father, acclimating to a blended family, becoming closer to his sister, brothers and mother more than ever. Together, Tony & Sandy created a profitable fundraising company, Public Safety Advocates of LA, encompassing most of the major cities in Louisiana. Working with local police, fire dept., Sheriffs, the local animal shelter, providing gifts for battered women shelters and local youth ranches that were not funded any other way. We made sure to provide Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners each year and deliver presents to children that would normally receive one.
I believe most employees would say that Tony & Sandy made them feel like part of the family not just an employee. When one of them was in a pinch, mom and dad would help them out and add it to their tab to be paid back in installments. All they asked was for honesty, dedication and hard work in return.
Timeline of events:
2005- Hurricane Katrina wiped them out, their home on the bayou, a business with 5 offices, displaced employees and they too were now permanently displaced. After many months, they finally settled in Port St. Lucie, FL. Quickly all the life savings they worked so hard to have in retirement were dwindling and Sandy took on a full time position to make ends meet.
2014- Dad is diagnosed with Squamous Cell Cancer.
2015- The fight begins to include chemo and many rounds of radiation.
2018 - P.E.T. scan from the throat down shows he is cancer FREE!
January 2019 - It's back and now it is terminal as it is in his nasal cavity which consist of soft tissue which allows the cancer to grow at a rapid speed so we had to watch it literally eat his nose away.
April 1st - The property owner where mom and dad have been renters for 6 years advises that they have sold the house and we had to be out by the 30th. We asked for an extra week as hospice said he had very little time left, that request was not granted.
5/2/19 - Dad passes at the new place.
We had already setup arrangements with Neptune Society and made a collection to get that paid but now we realize there are after death charges for every step of the way following. Not to mention SSI withdrew the payment since dad passed on the 2nd leaving mom in a hole.
I am creating the fundraiser with her permission but it took A LOT of convincing and I had to remind mom that Tony & Sandy is where most of us went for financial assistance. Regardless if for a loan, a couch to crash on, a helping hand, a good spot on a parade route in front of one of our offices, they were there and tolerated many dishonest people and usually gave them a 2nd chance and some even a 3rd & 4th chance to prove they had mended their ways. I also reminded her that God has a plan for us all and there is no shame in saying you need help.
We are hoping to ease our 72 yr. old full-time working mother while she catches up after a sudden move and loss of her soul mate.
This may be a bit of a read but it has some great background info on my folks that I hope some will remember or identify with.
I hope you take the time to read it, and any contributions will be of great help. I have set a super high goal but I always look up and aim high in hopes to alleviate my mom, Sandy for a few months as the grieving of a partner you spent LITERALLY every minute with for 36 years for work, fun, play, good times and bad, all of it side by side is more than my Momminess' heart can take which means she is not getting the hours at work needed to maintain the bills that are piling up.
Here is a little background for those who were not lucky enough the have met my parents, my dynamic duo: Tony & Sandy Lopez...
Dad's life of mischief and mayhem changed when he met Sandy in his late 30's. From becoming a partner, father, acclimating to a blended family, becoming closer to his sister, brothers and mother more than ever. Together, Tony & Sandy created a profitable fundraising company, Public Safety Advocates of LA, encompassing most of the major cities in Louisiana. Working with local police, fire dept., Sheriffs, the local animal shelter, providing gifts for battered women shelters and local youth ranches that were not funded any other way. We made sure to provide Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners each year and deliver presents to children that would normally receive one.
I believe most employees would say that Tony & Sandy made them feel like part of the family not just an employee. When one of them was in a pinch, mom and dad would help them out and add it to their tab to be paid back in installments. All they asked was for honesty, dedication and hard work in return.
Timeline of events:
2005- Hurricane Katrina wiped them out, their home on the bayou, a business with 5 offices, displaced employees and they too were now permanently displaced. After many months, they finally settled in Port St. Lucie, FL. Quickly all the life savings they worked so hard to have in retirement were dwindling and Sandy took on a full time position to make ends meet.
2014- Dad is diagnosed with Squamous Cell Cancer.
2015- The fight begins to include chemo and many rounds of radiation.
2018 - P.E.T. scan from the throat down shows he is cancer FREE!
January 2019 - It's back and now it is terminal as it is in his nasal cavity which consist of soft tissue which allows the cancer to grow at a rapid speed so we had to watch it literally eat his nose away.
April 1st - The property owner where mom and dad have been renters for 6 years advises that they have sold the house and we had to be out by the 30th. We asked for an extra week as hospice said he had very little time left, that request was not granted.
5/2/19 - Dad passes at the new place.
We had already setup arrangements with Neptune Society and made a collection to get that paid but now we realize there are after death charges for every step of the way following. Not to mention SSI withdrew the payment since dad passed on the 2nd leaving mom in a hole.
Organizer
Mimi Mendez-Carney
Organizer
Port Saint Lucie, FL