COVID loss of my father, Jim Liles

Hey, my name is Jimmy Liles. I am an only child and a senior in high school. My dad, Jim Liles, was a single parent who was a self-employed general contractor who had a love of creating relationships with his clients and truly helping people out no matter what the case was. He was one of the few people that would put anyone else before himself.

 

December 3rd of 2021, my dad, at the age of 58, went from having a fever to then being rushed to the hospital where he was admitted into ICU with COVID-19. As the days went by, he continued to have ups and downs fighting this horrific disease. After a nightmarish 19 days, I got a call on December 22nd stating that my dad had been put on a ventilator, under paralytics and sedation. I faced my first Christmas without my dad, terrified at the thought that I might never be able to talk to him again. Shortly after Christmas, I was told that his left leg would need to be amputated due to multiple blood clots that were blocking blood flow and threatening his life. He survived the surgery and over the next few days, his body had started to make a turnaround and there was hope that my dad might recover. Unexpectedly, the morning of Thursday, January 7th, I got the phone call that changed my life. After 34 days of hope and suffering, his organs began to fail, and couldn’t support his body any longer. Sitting by his side for a wrenching 7 hours, my dad, my only parent, my role model, and my best friend lost his long battle and passed away at my side.

 

Being a senior in high school and an only child to a single parent, I don’t have anyone to fall back on or support me. I am desperately seeking any kind of help as I am having to grow up instantly and take care of everything on my own. I face countless medical bills, living expenses, and college fees. I also own many animals that I have to attend everyday such as two miniature goats (Jackson and Daisy), a pot belly pig (Spot), a labrador (Bella), turkeys (Harry and Larry), chickens and guinea's. As I finish out the rest of my senior year and come closer to the moment of graduation that most families will remember forever, it will be a night knowing my dad isn’t there but is proudly smiling down on me. I would be beyond grateful for any support you are able to provide as it will take immense pressure off my back, and give me time to grieve the loss of my dad who was my entire life.