Meet Tark
I told Melanie all about our family and what we have been through in the three years since Tark's diagnosis of stage 4 esophageal cancer.
2015
DIAGNOSED
Esophageal
CANCER
4
STAGE
Read About Tark
On April 12, 2018, I recieved a call from Melanie Best, founder of the Inner Circle Foundation, in response to an application I filled out for rental assistance.
That call brought me to my knees in tears; and I will be forever grateful for Melanie and ICF.
Melanie asked me to tell her a little bit about our family and what we were in need of. I have filled out so many applications that I wasn't 100% what I had requested. I told Melanie all about our family and what we have been through in the three years since Tark's diagnosis of stage 4 esophageal cancer; and that I thought I had requested rental assistance.
Melanie said, "You did ask for rental assistance and I have no problem writing you a check for that; but what I would really like to do is send your family on a trip somewhere, is there anywhere where you and your family would like to go?" Melanie said, "I would rather send a family on a trip to make a memory that will last a lifetime than pay a bill, but I will do whatever you would like of course."
I had literally just talked to my husband, Tark, and Hunter the day before about Hunter's graduation. I asked Hunter if he could pick anything to do to celebrate his graduation what would it be?
Hunter said, he wants to go back to California so that we could take his dad to Huntington Beach again. I told him OK, I will see what I can do, but it may take a few months to figure things out. I had already planned to fill out my next application, for a specific foundation, and ask for a trip.
So when Melanie said that to me it was honestly the best feeling in the world! To actually be able to go to California and celebrate for Hunter's Graduation; and take Tark back to a place where he has wanted to go for over a year now is PRICELESS!
It also took a lot of stress off of Tark's shoulders. Tark has been feeling weighed down by guilt. The guilt of not being able to provide for his family, the way he wants to, really takes a toll on him.
Tark made sure that our oldest son, TJ, got to do something special when he graduated from high school in 2014; Tark drove us all the way to Iowa to see a Five Finger Death Punch concert, at WestFair, It Was Awesome!!
It has been a huge burden for Tark to bear, that he is in a position financially, where he is unable to plan something special for Hunter .
Tark is an amazing, selfless man and he has always put his family before his own wants and needs. So it came as no surprise to me that Hunter would want to do something to celebrate his graduation, that his dad has wanted to do for over a year now.
We desperately needed this trip to reconnect as a family, and just spend time together laughing and having fun.
THANK YOU INNER CIRCLE FOUNDATION ❤
- Angela