Retired Airman’s Emergency Airlift Expenses

On Friday, my dad was in Kennewick, WA helping his friend prep for the Ironman triathlon in tri-cities. My dad was helping move some gear on a bicycle and he crashed and broke his neck.

Fractured C1 and C2. Separated ligaments from C2 and C3. And dissected a vertebral artery. 

He was airlifted from Kennewick to Seattle for top neurosurgery care. 

My mom flew up from their home in Arizona on Saturday morning to be with him and I drove up from Vancouver the night it happened.

His prognosis is really good. They’re holding off on surgery for now because he has full motor function and nothing is displaced. His artery is healing on its own. 

The ask I have is for help for my parents financially. 

My dad is a retired Air Force Senior Master Sergeant. He served for 26 years between the regular Air Force and the National Guard. The most incredible man I know. He’s my real life super hero and seeing him in this state is really surreal to me.

My dad’s pension is meager and my mom still works to stay on top of everything. They live a comfortable life, but certainly not wealthy. I’ve been trying for years to get my dad to file for VA disability but it’s like pulling teeth. He’s just too selfless. 

My mom has amazing faith but I saw the look in her eye when we started talking about what the airlift bill is going to look like. 

It’s heavy on my heart to find a way to take that financial burden off their shoulders in light of everything else this situation brings.

My dad is a selfless servant who raised four boys the right way. Two of us are Air Force veterans, one is a cop, another is a Fire Fighter. We know how well the LE/Mil community looks after one another, and we recognize it’s our turn to humbly ask for help. 

Thank you,

The Camp Boys