My dad (Mike) has spent his life being the person people can count on. He’s the guy who will drop whatever he’s doing to help someone else, share a random fact you probably didn’t ask for, or tell you a story that somehow takes three times longer than expected.
Now, he’s the one who needs someone to show up for him.
My dad has been diagnosed with extensive-stage small cell lung cancer (ES-SCLC). Since May, he has been unable to work, and the physical toll of his cancer and the medical complications that have come with it have made everyday life increasingly difficult. He has spent much of this time receiving treatment and recovering from one medical setback after another.
Right now, one of our biggest concerns isn’t just his medical care, it’s where he is going to live and recover. His current living situation is not a healthy or supportive environment for someone in his condition. It has made it harder for him to recover between treatments and, just as importantly, has made it difficult for the people who love him to be there for him.
Our goal is to raise funds to help him secure a place of his own. We are exploring other benefits and assistance that may help with this cost, but there is no guarantee that he will qualify, and even if he does, those resources could take months to become available.
This isn’t about giving my dad a perfect life. It’s about giving him a safe place to live and a little peace during an incredibly difficult chapter of his life.
My dad isn’t perfect. None of us are. But I can tell you that he has spent a lot of his life helping other people without expecting much in return. He has shown up for friends, family, and even people he barely knew simply because they needed someone. He’s the person who would give you the shirt off his back and then probably tell you a 20-minute story about where he got the shirt.
Now, it’s our turn to show up for him.
Every donation, no matter the amount, will help us move him toward having a home where he can recover, have the people he loves around him, and live whatever time he has ahead of him with comfort, independence, and hopefully some fishing in the Barnegat bay.
If you’re able to donate, thank you. If you aren’t, sharing this fundraiser may be just as meaningful.
Thank you for helping us give him that.
