Sue Critz

I am creating this fundraiser for myself after spending six and a half months providing care for a Vietnam veteran during the final stage of an aggressive cancer related to Agent Orange exposure. During that time, I held his medical directive and durable power of attorney, and I did everything I could to help him through an incredibly difficult chapter. He had no VA benefits and was destitute, so I was never compensated for the care I provided. I took on this responsibility because it needed to be done, but the financial impact on me has been significant. This man was a sailor in the Navy, a helicopter pilot in civilian life with 22,000 hours in heavy lift helicopters, and later continued his love of the sea by making his home on a boat. We had known each other at a distance for eight years and met in person for the first time in September 2025 after he had a major cardiac event. My focus was always on making sure he had nothing to worry about, received the best care possible, and, most importantly, was able to maintain as much dignity as possible during his final battle. My own needs were always secondary. Except for caring for his boat, I spent 10 to 14 hours per day at his bedside five days a week, returning to my Texas home only once a month to retrieve my own medications. As a 70-year-old woman, those 199 days took a tremendous physical and emotional toll on me as I watched my friend slowly slip away. I accompanied him during his final silent escort, with his body draped in an American flag in honor of his service to our country. From the start, I made him one promise: I would not abandon him. I am consoled by knowing that I kept that promise. The support from this fundraiser will help me recover some of the out-of-pocket expenses and lost income that came with those months of caregiving. This includes food, travel between my home in El Paso, Texas and the VA hospital in Seattle, Washington, travel between the VA hospital and his home on a live-aboard boat to help ensure its security and prepare it for sale, and uncompensated wages. I am not asking for the full amount that might reasonably be owed, only what I need to help recover my personal money and time lost. I chose this path because I would rather remember the privilege of caring for my friend than prolong the pain of his passing through a lengthy bureaucratic process. If you are able to give, share, or offer support in any way, I would be deeply grateful. Your kindness would help ease the financial burden left behind after months of care and sacrifice.