OUR DAD, OUR HERO
Our Dad, Ron Tweedle, has always been our hero – rubbing our backs, cheering us on, and celebrating life’s milestones with comfort, selflessness, and the biggest smile you ever saw. To this day we know he is always there for us no matter what, and over the past year we have seen him become a Caregiver Hero as well, while supporting and caring for his partner Carol while battling health struggles of his own.
For the past decade, Dad has had to overcome 3 major heart artery blockages that have resulted in major recovery complications and setbacks. He suffers from a myriad of other health concerns from gout and prostate issues to neuropathy and more – all of which present their own challenges to his quality of life, and depression has overwhelmed him.
Eight months ago, as he was recovering from a quadruple bypass, Dad’s partner Carol was diagnosed with aggressive esophageal cancer, late stage 3 squamous cell carcinoma, a cancerous tumor in the esophagus, along with cancer in her lymph nodes, lung, and stomach. Dad has been her constant caregiver and lifeline, literally 24/7, through dozens of radiation treatments, 3 rounds of chemo, several major surgeries, and her constant pain and suffering as she fights the battle against her poor prognosis to prolong her life. He has seen her through hundreds of meetings, scans, xrays, endoscopies, blood work, treatments, trips to the emergency room, and in home nursing appointments. Dad has been in a terrible predicament. As he continues his personal challenging journey towards healing, he has undertaken the overwhelming task of being a full time caregiver for a loved one in an even more dire situation. Watching Carol suffer daily right before his eyes is extremely painful, his depression is deepening, his spirit is broken – our usually jovial father very seldom smiles, jokes or laughs now.
Dad has always been reliable, so very generous and kind, with a heart full of love and an extremely fun spirit! This man, that we have the privilege to call our Dad, has entertained, supported, inspired and always been there for us – and everyone who has been in his presence has felt his unconditional love. Beyond his countless contributions to the lives of his loved ones, Dad has been an avid volunteer, serving his community for 45 years and most important of all, extending his hand to societies less fortunate. His support of Carol during this time is simply a continuation of his lifetime commitment to serving others and God.
To add to this difficult time, Dad has faced an incredible financial burden – as a self employed business owner in Hamilton for over 35 years he has found himself with a downturn in business and unable to work due to health reasons – and without pension or health benefits. He is hoping to return to work in the coming months but for now we have set up a Go Fund Me campaign to help get him through the mounting medical and life expenses he has incurred over the past year and continues to face. We have been blown away by the outpouring of love, support, and generosity from our community and we know that together we can exceed our goal! If you’d like to read more of Dad’s story or support him in any way you can, please visit www.gofundme.com/rockinronnie
Dad, we love you and we are forever proud of you – our biggest hero!
Love,
Your kids ~ Mindy, Katy & Kurt
