The Great West Texodus
Donation protected
Listen, friends: my partner Angelina and I, along with my sister Megan, are moving to the little town of Friona, Texas to be with my dad, Ron Carr. Recently, our family received Dad's biopsy results, which found that he has stage 3 non small squamous cell carcinoma in his left lung and through his airways. This is some really difficult news to deal with but we are staying positive and hopeful and Dad has already begun his recommended chemo and radiation treatments. His second week of chemo begins today, May 1st.
He is 77 years old and has been been photographing, editing, and publishing the weekly newspaper, The Friona Star, out there for the last 20 years. He has owned it for most of that time.
My dad Ron has an amazing sense of humor, the sharpest wit, a kind and generous heart, and he has been an awesome and loving father to me and my sister Megan, our big sisters Kirsten and Candee, and our big brother Casey.
I was already strongly considering going out there to be with him when we heard he had a tumor in his lung, and then once we all got there, had breakfast and sat down to talk about it, it just felt right. Megan, Angelina and I piled into my dad's car, drove out to the cemetery to visit our Neenaw, and standing out there in the sunshine we talked it over, realized how huge all of it is, and decided that yes, this is happening. We're moving out here.
The next day, with my dad's help, we made an offer on a house down the street. It was accepted. So now we have a safe and secure place of our own where me, Angelina, Megan, her dog Apollo, and our cats Remy and Fizz can live just a quick jog away from my dad's apartment. It all feels like a big, sad, beautiful, scary, wonderful dream. We need the help of our friends to make this dream happen.
We have listed this as a medical campaign because we are making this move to care for Dad throughout whatever treatment he decides to have. He is very weak, has lost a significant amount of weight, can't drive or speak much above a whisper. He hasn't gone into the office much in the last few months, and so part of our help will be assisting with the newspaper. He also has to be driven over an hour to Amarillo everyday for all his appointments and treatments, and while a number of gracious friends in Friona have lined up to offer him drives, in the long run, we would like to alleviate those pressures and make sure he gets everything he needs every single day. We are also taking measures to be his caregivers if he should need any help with physical tasks during his treatment time or afterwards. We will be there to make sure that he is comfortable, eating well, and to spend time together as a family.
We do feel a sense of urgency so we are moving as soon as possible. Angelina and I both have our own places to pack up and our own jobs and other commitments to leave and friends to say see-you-later to and a birthday party to have! We plan to be in Friona by the middle to end of May.
We are both educators and caregivers in Austin and do not make much money. When we add up all the potential costs of the move, it would seem like we can't do it. But we can! We want to be realistic in our approach and honest with our needs, and so here is a comprehensive list of things that are accounted for in our estimated cost of leaving Austin:
-Loss of income for time taken off recently/morning classes being reduced/cancelled work
-Loss of income for at least one month of unemployment during transition for each of us
-Rent for month of May at both my apartment and Angelina's house
-Re-letting fee for my apartment lease + loss of deposit
-Outstanding utilities bill for my apartment and Angelina's house
-Large U-Haul truck rental for the move with hookup for one of our cars
-Gas for truck and a car for the trip
-Two new tires on my car for the trip
-Medication for our cats (stock up flea meds + chill pills)
-Dental work on a tooth before loss of insurance
-Wellness checkup with doctor before loss of insurance
-New house utilities deposit
-New house internet installation, setup
-Food for about a month
-Adjustment of total for the 5% gofundme cut and the add'l processing fees
It is not easy to ask for help, but none of this easy. And it would be much, much harder without the love and support and kind words and gifts of time and celebration from our friends and family near and far. We are eternally grateful for all of the generous support and encouragement we have already received. Please understand that this means the whole world to myself and my family to be able to be together and care for one another in this special time of need.
This has been a remarkable journey so far and there is so much yet to come. We want to thank our support networks, both in Austin and far beyond, that have been so reassuring in this decision. From the bottom of our hearts, thank you. We love you.
He is 77 years old and has been been photographing, editing, and publishing the weekly newspaper, The Friona Star, out there for the last 20 years. He has owned it for most of that time.
My dad Ron has an amazing sense of humor, the sharpest wit, a kind and generous heart, and he has been an awesome and loving father to me and my sister Megan, our big sisters Kirsten and Candee, and our big brother Casey.
I was already strongly considering going out there to be with him when we heard he had a tumor in his lung, and then once we all got there, had breakfast and sat down to talk about it, it just felt right. Megan, Angelina and I piled into my dad's car, drove out to the cemetery to visit our Neenaw, and standing out there in the sunshine we talked it over, realized how huge all of it is, and decided that yes, this is happening. We're moving out here.
The next day, with my dad's help, we made an offer on a house down the street. It was accepted. So now we have a safe and secure place of our own where me, Angelina, Megan, her dog Apollo, and our cats Remy and Fizz can live just a quick jog away from my dad's apartment. It all feels like a big, sad, beautiful, scary, wonderful dream. We need the help of our friends to make this dream happen.
We have listed this as a medical campaign because we are making this move to care for Dad throughout whatever treatment he decides to have. He is very weak, has lost a significant amount of weight, can't drive or speak much above a whisper. He hasn't gone into the office much in the last few months, and so part of our help will be assisting with the newspaper. He also has to be driven over an hour to Amarillo everyday for all his appointments and treatments, and while a number of gracious friends in Friona have lined up to offer him drives, in the long run, we would like to alleviate those pressures and make sure he gets everything he needs every single day. We are also taking measures to be his caregivers if he should need any help with physical tasks during his treatment time or afterwards. We will be there to make sure that he is comfortable, eating well, and to spend time together as a family.
We do feel a sense of urgency so we are moving as soon as possible. Angelina and I both have our own places to pack up and our own jobs and other commitments to leave and friends to say see-you-later to and a birthday party to have! We plan to be in Friona by the middle to end of May.
We are both educators and caregivers in Austin and do not make much money. When we add up all the potential costs of the move, it would seem like we can't do it. But we can! We want to be realistic in our approach and honest with our needs, and so here is a comprehensive list of things that are accounted for in our estimated cost of leaving Austin:
-Loss of income for time taken off recently/morning classes being reduced/cancelled work
-Loss of income for at least one month of unemployment during transition for each of us
-Rent for month of May at both my apartment and Angelina's house
-Re-letting fee for my apartment lease + loss of deposit
-Outstanding utilities bill for my apartment and Angelina's house
-Large U-Haul truck rental for the move with hookup for one of our cars
-Gas for truck and a car for the trip
-Two new tires on my car for the trip
-Medication for our cats (stock up flea meds + chill pills)
-Dental work on a tooth before loss of insurance
-Wellness checkup with doctor before loss of insurance
-New house utilities deposit
-New house internet installation, setup
-Food for about a month
-Adjustment of total for the 5% gofundme cut and the add'l processing fees
It is not easy to ask for help, but none of this easy. And it would be much, much harder without the love and support and kind words and gifts of time and celebration from our friends and family near and far. We are eternally grateful for all of the generous support and encouragement we have already received. Please understand that this means the whole world to myself and my family to be able to be together and care for one another in this special time of need.
This has been a remarkable journey so far and there is so much yet to come. We want to thank our support networks, both in Austin and far beyond, that have been so reassuring in this decision. From the bottom of our hearts, thank you. We love you.
Organizer
Zac Carr
Organizer
Austin, TX