Something to help Billy Ricks's great-niece Elizabeth

[Nessism]

Ripped the title from Billy's thread, which began this worth odyssey...

The GSR brethren really rallied behind Billy Ricks's great-niece Elizabeth and the expression of love she showed for her ailing father during the Brickfish competition...

http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/showthread.php?t=166748

http://www.brickfish.com/Pages/PhotosAlbums/PhotoView.aspx?picid=1217416_46482275&pid=4276954&scid=566&isep=1&pbapi=-1&pbvi=210134494&plyli=1&pdi=23&=FBPOST&notpbb=true

Elizabeth came in first place, or maybe I should say, she had the most click though votes, but as it turns out she didn't win. Of far more importance than this was the news posted by Billy a couple of weeks ago...

I have a very sad update to this story. I received a phone call a couple of hours ago from one of my sisters. Eleazar, the father in this story, has taken a drastic turn for the worse. He has been on a respirator for the last several weeks and it's now just a matter of when my niece Amanda wants to let him slip away. I'm not sure I'll ever understand why some people have such tragic luck. Amanda will have lost a 5 year old daughter to cancer and now her husband. Thanks to all those who offered prayers and best wishes.

BTW, Elizabeth didn't win the contest. A contestant that was way down on the final tally was selected by the judges as the winner.

Elizabeth will be entering collage next year, most likely now without her father's financial support. As cool as it would have been for her to win that iPod from Brickfish, after talking with Billy, who in part talked to Elizabeth's mother Amanda, it was thought that more meaningful gift for the coming year would be to gather together some cash and start up a collage book fund for Elizabeth.

I've volunteered to be the pivot person to gather the funds should anyone be interested in supporting this worthy cause.

Please send Paypal for contributions to nessism@sbcglobal.net

Please include your name of course and reference the collage fund in the title to help me keep track. I'll post the names of the contributers here in this thread, or if you'd rather not be mentioned, just let me know that as well.

Take care and god bless.


Ed

Edit: Contributors list

Billy Ricks
Bert Dodds aka 'Bert Patterson'
Don Pepe aka 'dpep'
Rob Hayward aka 'azr'
I'd prefer to remain anonymous - just list a "GSR member"
Ed Ness aka 'Nessism'
From 'Pennsyltucky'
Rose "Kinnet"
Jeff Rose aka Roadrash
Bob Blackmore
Hi Ed, I'd like to remain anonymous. Thanks for your efforts.
Since you're wrapping this up, seems she could use a little more help. Best of luck, prayers and best wishes for father and daughter. "GSR member" (again)
Mike Riddle



.

[azr]

Count me in Ed, good on ya. Any clue what she wants to be when she grows up? or at least what 1st year course she's taking.

[Billy Ricks]

When the opportunity arises I'll find out what her plans are. It's a little tough to bring up too much with what they are going through. One of her uncles had expressed some concern over her being able to afford college. I just felt if we could help with a book or two it would make things a little easier. She may need to go to a community college for a few semesters to be able to do it at all. Most kids are in the midst of weighing their options now and hopefully she's able to see a way. The brickfish entry was actually about a small scholarship. Whatever funds are collected could always be done as a credit with a discount college book store in the Baltimore area.

What would be better than anything is for Eleazar to recover. Keep him and his in your thoughts and prayers.

[Nessism]

Thanks to all that have contributed!

The GSR is a great place!

[Billy Ricks]

Ed, if you wouldn't mind PM me your address. One of Mandy's sisters wants to contribute to the fund. When you're ready to call this done let me know what was collected and I'll round it up to nice number.

There is a little good news on Eleazar. I guess it must have been in the OT thread I posted that he was not expected to make it and the girls had essentially said their last goodbyes. Doctors decided to try inserting trach and feeding tubes and continue life support. During that time they were trying to pin down the infection threatening his life. He is now out of his coma and making slight improvement. Mandy says the doctors are pleased with his progress. With continued thoughts and prayers they may just get their miracle.

[Nessism]

One last call for this and I'm going to send the money over to Billy. Thanks to all that offered assistance.

[Nessism]

Every time I mention this thread we get a few more $$...so I'm back once more for a "last time" plea. Sorry to ask again, won't continue to prod forever.

Good news is we are up to an even $500! Not bad folks! Gotta love the GSR.

[Billy Ricks]

Sorry I haven't been here in a week or two. Sometimes life gets in the way of the little things, I'm sure you all understand.

I want to thank each and every one of you that have contributed funds. I have found out that Elizabeth has plans to major in Psychology but with young folks that could change as she goes from semester to semester.

I do have outstanding news on Elizabeth's dad. After spending most of the last 4 or 5 months in the hospital, most of the time in a coma, and at one point pretty much given his last rites the doctors now have him rehabbing. Since my last post about his condition where he was getting worse by the day his is now receiving some rehab. He lost most of the weight he had to spare and after being bed ridden for so long he most certainly has no strength left in his body. Since the last post on his condition he had his initial infection that very nearly killed him and a new case of pneumonia on top of that. More than anything I want to see him walk out of that hospital healthy and return home to family. With all of the cases of cancer that has been experienced on site here it would be great to see another success story. A couple of weeks ago I found out one of my sisters has been diagnosed with breast cancer and is having surgery this Friday followed by five weeks of radiation therapy five days a week. She is the first in our immediate family to ever be diagnosed with any type of cancer other than a few skin cancers due to sun exposure. She's a tough old gal though, much like my mom, and she'll kick cancer's butt. Keep her in your prayers just the same.

Once again, thank you all for the prayers and to those that contributed to this fund. I'd like to thank each one of you personally if I could, but all of you obviously chose to remain anonymous. I can't remember any group of strangers ever doing anything to help members of my family. That people I may never meet would step up and help just blows me away. And this wasn't even something directly for me. There's nothing in the world I need or would ever ask for, all of you doing this for my niece is kind of the way I live my life. If I can bring a little comfort to those I know or meet I'm always game. I even carry a few gift cards to hamburger places to give to beggars out on street corners. I figure they'll be forced to have a meal rather than buying beer or drugs. They are only for $5 so they don't have enough resale value to do them any good in that respect.

Blessings to all,
Billy

[Billy Ricks]

For those of you who don't frequent the Off-Topic forum it saddens me to say that Eleazar passed away yesterday. We found out that Mandy is bringing him home to San Antonio, most likely to be buried next to the little girl they lost about 20 years ago. With that said and with Ed's permission and those that contributed, now would probably be the ideal time to end the fundraiser and work on getting the funds to her. My thought is that at some point while they are in town for the funeral I can give a graduation or sympathy card to Mandy to give to Elizabeth after they return home and things settle down. Either I or someone here could write something appropriate to buoy her spirits a bit and turn her focus to college.

Thanks to everyone who has followed this and offered their best wishes and support for Elizabeth and her family. You're an amazing bunch.

[Billy Ricks]

I wrote a few lines that I thought would be appropriate for a card for Elizabeth. If anyone has suggestions or would like to add anything please feel free.

While I'm at it I want to thank everyone that has kept my niece and her family close to your hearts. You'll never know how much it means to me. It's been an emotional ride and having you folks to help carry the load has helped me through it.

Dear Elizabeth,

We are so saddened to hear of the passing of your father. The tragic news left heavy hearts within people you most likely will never meet. You have been an inspiration to people from all over the world, and from every walk of life. Your Brickfish entry gave our little online community, The GS Resources, a cause to rally around. Watching your climb to the top of the voting chart was a thrill. We have members from every continent that were so inspired by the love of your father that we voted religiously every time Brickfish allowed. We were so put aback by Brickfish awarding the Grand Prize to anyone else that we decided to do something for you. We started what we called a college book fund to help as you move on towards furthering your education. We are like family at The GS Resources and we would like to think of you as a little sis. Over the years we want to know that things are good with you. It would be nice someday for us to be able to say, “Hey, I knew her when!” We will always care.

Best wishes,
Your GS Resources Family

[Billy Ricks]

I received the check from Ed today. In the next day or so I'll go by my credit union and pick up a cashier's check or money order and have it made out from The GS Resources Family. I told some of my family about what you wonderful folks have done and they couldn't believe that total strangers could be so generous. I had to tell them that we aren't strangers here, we are more like extended family. I just wish I knew who had contributed so I could thank you all personally. You all have my respect and thanks.

[posplayr]

I just wonder why there's still people for this deserted thread

Spam......................................

[Nessism]

It was amazing and superb discussion with topics and comments. Thanks

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