If you ever met and spent time around our dad, John Fine, or heard us talk about him, you already know—us Fine sisters were lucky to have one of the good ones.
Dad was generous with his time and talents, unconditionally accepting, and quick to smile and laugh. He taught us girls what it means to work hard: that you should run—not walk—to fetch a tool when asked, and that we have every right to own and operate power tools.
From 2018 to March of 2022, he taught us what it looks like to fight an unseen enemy, one that steadily marched until it took his life: Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. Otherwise known as ALS, or Lou Gehrig's Disease.
It's a fatal motor neuron disease that slowly robs its victims of their ability to drive, walk, talk, and eventually, breathe. The average life expectancy after diagnosis is 2 to 5 years. There is no cure. We saw firsthand how horrible this disease is.
We loved someone with ALS. He was taken from us sooner than we wanted. All four of us girls learned how to care for him as he slowly lost his ability to walk and breathe unassisted. We had the hard conversations. We left no words unsaid.
Every so often, it hits me like a truck: my dad is gone. My father won't see his 6 grandchildren graduate high school or college, marry, or have children of their own.
It's a gut punch that hits us anew every day.
Dad may be gone, a victim of this disease, but we can advocate on behalf of the 15,000 ALS patients in this country and raise money for the ALS Association of Iowa—an organization that was, without fail, there for us since Day One of our dad's diagnosis.
They loaned us walkers, shower chairs, motorized wheelchairs, canes, and countless other items. They connected us with caregivers and provided Quality of Life grants to help pay for things like lawnmowing/snow removal when Dad could no longer do it on his own. They are wonderful and we are so grateful they were there for us through this.
There's still so far to go to find a cure, and discover what's causing this disease. That's where you can help.
If you can, please donate to Team Fine.
Thanks, friends, for your support.