My Father My Hero...And a Motorcycle
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My Father, My Hero...And a Motorcycle.
Hello my name is Russell McNutt, and I need your help to fulfill a lifelong dream for my father and I.
I am the proud son of James McNutt, a Vietnam Veteran.
My father was with the 101st Airborne Division, assigned to the 5th Special Forces Group in Vietnam. You can find a picture of my father in the TV Guide published during the Vietnam War.
During his military career, my father (like all Soldiers) was gone a lot, attending training schools of all types. In 1983, while serving with the 1st of the 320th Field Artillery Regiment, out of Fort Bragg, NC, my father was called to war for the Grenada Conflict and served this country proudly, as did all the hero's that were called to serve for our freedom. I was old enough during this time to understand what my dad was off doing and stayed glued to the tv as much as I could when not in school, hoping to catch a glimpse of my father alive and well. My mother received the Molly Pitcher award during the Grenada Conflict for going above and beyond, helping the families of other Soldiers cope with the deployment. We lost my mom just over 4 years ago to Pancreatic Cancer and she suffered so terribly I still cry when I see a picture of her in the house or a memory pops in my mind.
My father retired, a proud Veteran of 2 wars, and went on to serve as a Police Officer for many years in the Fayetteville, NC and Garland, NC communities and later as a Corrections Officer in Tennessee. During his time as a Police Officer, he battled cancer of his own. Part of that treatment was to remove 3/4 of his stomach. My father is now 73 and 3 years ago he was diagnosed with bladder cancer and was told they had no choice but to remove the whole bladder to even have a chance of survival. They attempted the surgery but minutes into surgery his heart stopped. He was revived and the surgery halted. After many tests it was discovered that he had an allergic reaction to the anesthesia. They rescheduled his surgery for a later date and that surgery went well (thank God). They determined the bladder cancer to be directly linked to Agent Orange exposure from Vietnam. My father, still after all this, rides his Honda Goldwing trike daily, when the weather permits. This is why I am reaching out to all of you.
I spoke with my father 3 weeks ago and, with everything that has gone on with my mothers passing and fathers cancer, I asked my father, “Dad what, if any, special wish or bucket list would you like to come true?”
He said, “Son, I would only have one wish in life and that is for my son to get a trike like mine so we could hit the road and make up for all that lost time we didn't get to spend together when I was gone so much while you were a kid. So we could do things like ride to the Vietnam memorial and bow our heads, father and son, and thank all my brothers and sisters not here today, and then ride to Arlington cemetery and put out some flags and say a prayer to all those hero's not here today, and then just ride the open road with my son. Nothing would make me prouder then to look over and see my son riding next to me. That would be heaven in my book.”
I literally cried for hours after I hung up because I knew his one wish was something I could never make happen. My mother and father were divorced years ago, so she had no insurance and her cancer treatment destroyed any financial stability we had. Then 2 years ago I was diagnosed with an incurable auto immune disease, called Graves Disease. It has taken almost 2 years, but 2 months ago when they finally got my medications right. I was often unable to leave my house for days which financially almost sank my wife and I with medical bills. Bills pilling up because we didn't have medical insurance and I was too sick to work.
I reached out to so many places and have seemed to only reach a deaf ear or rudeness. I don't know where to turn and I also know riding days with my dad are getting fewer by the minute.
I am reaching out to you, if you can find it in your heart, to help me get a trike like my father's. With your help I can make his only wish come true. Any funds raised above the Goal will be donated to a Veterans Charity. If you have any questions about my father or our story please leave a message in the comments section and I will respond to all thanks and God Bless.
Thank You;
Russell McNutt.
Hello my name is Russell McNutt, and I need your help to fulfill a lifelong dream for my father and I.
I am the proud son of James McNutt, a Vietnam Veteran.
My father was with the 101st Airborne Division, assigned to the 5th Special Forces Group in Vietnam. You can find a picture of my father in the TV Guide published during the Vietnam War.
During his military career, my father (like all Soldiers) was gone a lot, attending training schools of all types. In 1983, while serving with the 1st of the 320th Field Artillery Regiment, out of Fort Bragg, NC, my father was called to war for the Grenada Conflict and served this country proudly, as did all the hero's that were called to serve for our freedom. I was old enough during this time to understand what my dad was off doing and stayed glued to the tv as much as I could when not in school, hoping to catch a glimpse of my father alive and well. My mother received the Molly Pitcher award during the Grenada Conflict for going above and beyond, helping the families of other Soldiers cope with the deployment. We lost my mom just over 4 years ago to Pancreatic Cancer and she suffered so terribly I still cry when I see a picture of her in the house or a memory pops in my mind.
My father retired, a proud Veteran of 2 wars, and went on to serve as a Police Officer for many years in the Fayetteville, NC and Garland, NC communities and later as a Corrections Officer in Tennessee. During his time as a Police Officer, he battled cancer of his own. Part of that treatment was to remove 3/4 of his stomach. My father is now 73 and 3 years ago he was diagnosed with bladder cancer and was told they had no choice but to remove the whole bladder to even have a chance of survival. They attempted the surgery but minutes into surgery his heart stopped. He was revived and the surgery halted. After many tests it was discovered that he had an allergic reaction to the anesthesia. They rescheduled his surgery for a later date and that surgery went well (thank God). They determined the bladder cancer to be directly linked to Agent Orange exposure from Vietnam. My father, still after all this, rides his Honda Goldwing trike daily, when the weather permits. This is why I am reaching out to all of you.
I spoke with my father 3 weeks ago and, with everything that has gone on with my mothers passing and fathers cancer, I asked my father, “Dad what, if any, special wish or bucket list would you like to come true?”
He said, “Son, I would only have one wish in life and that is for my son to get a trike like mine so we could hit the road and make up for all that lost time we didn't get to spend together when I was gone so much while you were a kid. So we could do things like ride to the Vietnam memorial and bow our heads, father and son, and thank all my brothers and sisters not here today, and then ride to Arlington cemetery and put out some flags and say a prayer to all those hero's not here today, and then just ride the open road with my son. Nothing would make me prouder then to look over and see my son riding next to me. That would be heaven in my book.”
I literally cried for hours after I hung up because I knew his one wish was something I could never make happen. My mother and father were divorced years ago, so she had no insurance and her cancer treatment destroyed any financial stability we had. Then 2 years ago I was diagnosed with an incurable auto immune disease, called Graves Disease. It has taken almost 2 years, but 2 months ago when they finally got my medications right. I was often unable to leave my house for days which financially almost sank my wife and I with medical bills. Bills pilling up because we didn't have medical insurance and I was too sick to work.
I reached out to so many places and have seemed to only reach a deaf ear or rudeness. I don't know where to turn and I also know riding days with my dad are getting fewer by the minute.
I am reaching out to you, if you can find it in your heart, to help me get a trike like my father's. With your help I can make his only wish come true. Any funds raised above the Goal will be donated to a Veterans Charity. If you have any questions about my father or our story please leave a message in the comments section and I will respond to all thanks and God Bless.
Thank You;
Russell McNutt.
Organizer
Russell McNutt
Organizer
Fayetteville, NC