Navy veteran loses battle with multiple cancers

David Hummel is organizing this fundraiser.

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After the longest, hardest battle of his life, my soon be father-in-law, Douglas Lee Thurau, lost his battle to the multiple cancers that have taken over his body.

Doug was an amazing man. He loved his family but most of all he loved is wife. They were coming up on 54 years of marriage. He was one of the most committed men I've ever met in my life whether it be family, friends, work or his community.

He met his soul mate when he was young and loved her until his final breath. He served in the Navy, and fought in Vietnam and was honored to have been able to. He worked in the Hazel Park school system for 30+ years and was well loved and respected.

Doug was diagnosed with leukemia 20 years ago. Several years into battling the leukemia, he was diagnosed with thyroid cancer. He stayed strong and kept fighting. Then recently while fighting two forms of cancer already, he was diagnosed with lung cancer.

We watched as he suffered. As his body slowly shut down on him. He could no longer eat or drink and needed to have a feeding tube placed. His wife, Esther worked tirelessly to care for him. Crushing meds to put through the tube as well as feeding him and keeping it clean. But even though he kept fighting, he still ended up in and out of the hospital, until spending the last month of his life in a hospital bed.

The medical bills for his battle are outrageous. Not only does his wife have to try to pick up the pieces after losing her husband of 50+ years, but is now left with hundreds of thousands of dollars in medical bills while trying to survive off of her social security. If there is anything anyone is willing to donate, to help with funeral cost and medical expenses, we would be extremely gracious and thankful.

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