Sunday, December 28, 2008

We need your Help!!!!!!!

Justin and Amelia Lyon are 2 of the most awesome people on the whole planet! Over the past Year or so we have grown to call them some of our really close friends. Their family has been hit pretty hard with some recent developments. I will let her explain it.......

"As many of my blog followers may agree, I am definitely a picture-taker and not a writer. I do my best to write positively and according to my entries in order to describe the many adventures I experience as a photographer, mother, and wife. Well this time I am writing as a daughter and I ask my readers, in advance, for forgiveness as I stumble over this blog post in order to put into words the way that I feel about an unfortunate trial that has been placed in the lap of my family (in fact, as I am trying to type this my heart is pounding so loud I can hear it in my ears). This is for my dad.

Earlier this year he found himself randomly falling down and even found himself having trouble walking and lifting his right leg. He went in for some testing to see what was going on, only to find that there would be no solution and that he would never walk normal again. To make the long story short he was diagnosed with ALS (or many of you may know it as Lou Gehrig's disease, please click here to find a site that describes exactly what this disease is and how it can effect the victims that get diagnosed with it). In simple terms, this disease causes muscles to stop reacting to the brain's commands and eventually takes over the whole body. My dad was diagnosed with ALS officially in September and since then he has lost complete use of his right leg and his left leg is now fading faster than the right. The progression of this disease takes a different toll on each one of its victims, with my dad his ALS is progressing rapidly and he is already in an electrical wheelchair.

Now here is the reason for this post, I am reaching out to the world for help. I already know that my dad won't survive this, but with help, he can be comfortable in his last months (hopefully years). I am auctioning off a family portrait session to help raise funds that will be put to helping him with medical bills, rebuilding a handicap bathroom, or the purchase of a wheelchair accessible van. While I know that one family portrait session won't pay for all of this, every little bit will help, especially since my dad hasn't been able to work since August. I am starting the auction bidding at $250. I usually charge $500 for our portrait sittings. The sitting will include approxiamately two hours of coverage, online proofing, and a $100 print credit. Please email me at amelia@amelialyon.com to submit your bids, I will close the bidding at midnight on new years eve. There has already been a savings account set up for him and everything donated is tax deductible. I really appreciate any help in this effort, I plan to do a few more auctions in the near future, but this is my first attempt......

.......I have had an overwhelming amount of response to last post about my dad and I feel so blessed to see the amount of love and concern for this situation! Many people have responded with either a bid or just wanting to know how to donate, so I decided to post some info for those who just would like to send a donation. Please send all donations in a check form made out to "Faye Brady" (the account is under my grandmother's name) and on the bottom left part of the check write "Ken Brady handicap van fund". Donations should be mailed to:

Faye Brady
1048 E. 13590 S.
Draper, UT 84020

I really am so thankful by everyone's kind words and encouragement, I feel strengthened by people I have never even met and that feels amazing. Also, I know my dad has been reading all of the comments posted and he feels that love as well. Thank you all!"


Stop what you are doing right now and help them out if you can!!! SERIOUSLY, every little bit helps!  Like she said every donation is TAX deductible and the bidding closed on NEW YEARS EVE at the stoke of midnight! so bid NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

email all bids to: amelia@amelialyon.com

4 comments:

Mamacita Chilena said...

I really hope they are able to raise a lot of money... What a positive thing to do in the face of something so difficult.

Amelia . Lyon said...

Wow, I can't even tell you how thankful we are to you guys for wanting to help out with the fund raiser!!! We love you two!!!! I appreciate every little bit!

Anonymous said...

I don't know this family, but my heart and prayers go out to the Lyons and her dad. All I can say is that everyone should truly treasure this time we have and the loved ones in our lives, and spend as much time as we can with each other.

Anonymous said...

Bludomain has an F rating with the Better Business Bureau.