My name is Carolyn, and Dakota is Michael and my newest addition to our little family. A little background on us… I am a disabled Veteran - I was medically retired this past Summer for my hips and back and with Lymes Disease and I graduated from West Point in 2016. Michael is a Captain in the Army. He also graduated from West Point in 2014.
This organization, our doctor and the financial supervisor have truly been a candle in our lives today. A few months ago, Michael was diagnosed with Testicular Cancer again (he had stage 4 testicular cancer in 2014/5) where the tumor was growing in his Aorta and we needed to drop everything and go to Indianapolis to have emergency surgery. Because of this, we have been extremely tight on money and have been living from paycheck to paycheck and living on solely Michael’s paycheck from the Army since I decided to take care of him instead of staying in NY to find a job. Throughout this entire process, I have been his and his family’s rock of faith and hope. However, today I almost broke with the news of Dakota’s surgery and the total cost of the surgery. And when financial relief was brought to my attention I felt a wave of emotions. It went from deciding what I needed to sell in my house, should I let her continue in pain until we have the money or giving her up to finding the relief she needs and deserves and to return home to us and to her sisters.
This has truly been a blessing and candlelight in our dark tunnel and I am so thankful and blessed to be considered for this opportunity. Dakota truly does deserve it. She is the biggest sweetheart and goofball I have ever come to know and love.
I couldn’t decide on 2-3 pictures, so I decided to add a few of our favorite moments from this year.
Once again Thank you just isn’t enough for this act of kindness that you have provided to me and my family and I can only wish that I can return the favor in the future. God Bless you all.