Help support Gary Through His Battle With ALS

My name is Dawn, and I am Gary's fiancé. You may have learned of Gary's recent ALS diagnosis via his Facebook page, by word of mouth, or maybe this is your first introduction to Gary. Regardless, as time progresses, so does the disease, and so do the expenses for doctors, hospitals, nurses, medication, household modifications, mobility and transportation equipment, and so many more medical needs that I'm sure I haven't even learned of yet. As we nervously anticipate what's to come medically and financially, we humbly ask for your prayers and donations on this challenging journey.

Following a 40-year musical career as a guitarist in the 80’s heavy metal genre, primarily with the band Pyn Siren, and with one album under their belt, Gary began leading the charge as one of the world's leading authorities on WWII Aviation Nose Art. For more than 25 years, he’s been breathing new life into dozens of warbirds with the stroke of his brush, many of which can still be seen, flying or statically, in museums or at airshows across the United States. Gary has supplied nearly all corners of the Earth with his intricately detailed and accurately portrayed hand-crafted replicas of WWII aviation history, some of which can be found in museums.

As a historian, author, and an artist, a pioneer in reproducing WWII aviation nose art and creating countless originals depicting today's beauties with the class and feel of yesterday's glamorous pin-ups, Gary brought us beautiful, patriotic, historic, and sometimes comical, reminders of this Country's greatest generation. His work pays homage to American heroes and the women who helped keep them going during the trials and tribulations of WWII. When he created the Fighting Colors Collection Shop, it never occurred to him that he would someday be fighting his own battle.

As the picture of health with outstanding German and Mexican bloodlines, he never dreamed he'd find himself in this position--with exorbitant medical bills, no insurance, unable to play music or create art, and desperately trying to sell what’s left of his art and the historical artifacts he spent nearly three decades acquiring. Unfortunately, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig's Disease, doesn't care how healthy you are, whether you have insurance, or what profession calls your name. It takes aim at whomever it chooses, causing loss of muscle control, obliterating one muscle at a time, until its victim is left unable to move, eat, speak, and, eventually, breathe. Sadly, there is no cure; there is only time.

Gary's rein in the field of aviation nose art is coming to a tearful close as ALS chose to claim his arms first. Thus, he's still trying to figure out how to move forward with the Fighting Colors Collection Shop. In the meantime, however, there remains outstanding medical bills with ever-growing balances, the growing need for mobility equipment and household modifications, and no way to keep up with any of these needs or costs. Therefore, I'm reaching out to all of you--his followers, his colleagues, his fans, and his friends--asking for your help to mitigate the compounding strains placed upon Gary. The emotional and physical strains alone are overwhelming and taking a huge toll, and, coupled with the knowledge of what's to come and awaiting the financial landslide about to barrel down, the burden is unbearable. As his fiancé, I am committed to supporting him emotionally, physically, and financially, but I'm not rich and I don't have the funds he needs to be taken care of.

If you are unable to offer financial support, please keep Gary in your thoughts and prayers. And thank you--positive thoughts and prayers are powerful, and they mean everything to us. If you are in a position to offer some level of support, any level, or purchase a piece from his collection or a bit of the memorabilia he’s acquired over the years, we are most grateful. From the bottom of our hearts, thank you. Thank you for taking the time to read my request, thank you for considering Gary's situation, and thank you for your positive thoughts and/or assistance. Thank you.