Mark F.

About Mark F.

This is about my dad, Mike. Several years back my grandpa was going through throat cancer living in Alaska. Relationships with my dad’s side of the family hadn’t been great, but my dad started doing research and found that there were specialists in grandpa’s cancer just fifteen miles from our home.

My dad invited grandma and grandpa to move in to their house. My parents gave up their bedroom and dad began managing grandpa’s care, trips to chemo and frequent trips the the ER.

Several months went by and my uncle—my dad’s only brother who also lived in Alaska—needed some medical attention for ulcerative colitis. Dad invited him to stay with us too and made him feel welcome.

During a routine medical examination, my grandmother was diagnosed with a very aggressive type of cancer. At one point, my dad was managing the care for his entire extended family. He put his business on hold and took up the full time job of taking care, shuttling his father, mother and brother to different appointments between here and Seattle.

Not only that, he was able to get my uncle entirely out of debt by writing letters and helping him find ways to pay off his creditors. With what he had left, my uncle was able to buy a house nearby. Grandma and grandpa bought a house a few blocks away so they could stay close.

In the next few years, my grandmother, then my uncle and then finally my grandfather lost their lives to various complications but not before my dad was able to patch up their relationships and become very close.

When my grandfather passed away, my dad took it very hard because grandpa had become his best friend.

This was nearly ten years ago now. To this day, my dad cares deeply for everyone around him. He has coffee every morning with his closest friend who is struggling through Alzheimer’s disease. He’s nearly forgotten who my dad is, but that doesn’t stop him.

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