He's a retired Vet and has fought tooth and nail to make sure he gets what he needs from the V.A. all together, from healthcare that he HAS TO HAVE to Income to help my Aunt, his wife and sole care-taker who has been through a lot in her own way. Keep in mind, she lost her 1st husband to a motorcycle crash when her son was 3yrs old. My uncle Fred who has been HUGE part of my family & someone who helped me immensely with the loss of my biological mother to a hit & run in 1997 and I hope to have him around for years & years to come. He's the most positive person I know, he's been through 5 open heart surgeries, fell off the top of their motorhome on a windy day and shattered his right wrist, broke his back-shattered his 3rd vertebre and still managed to drag himself into the house to call my aunt and then the paramedics. He also has a tumor wrapped around the base of his brain stem, it has shifted, but he gets severe migraines which make him sick from time to time. I will never hesitate to be there for my aunt and him, as well as the rest of my family. But he is just like a Father to me, as mine passed in 1994. I do send father's day cards to him, so he knows that he IS VERY important in my life, his children's lives and his wife and family. I have several retired vets who have passed and a few are still here with us, thank god! I wish I could help all of them. I know my aunt and uncle have been through tough financial times, she works full time and he can only work a few hours a week. He's not one to just sit still, if he can do it and it's not causing pain lord knows he'd find a way. He's an inspiration to me and to many many others!! I can only hope and pray that he is chosen, if not I know I tried and I will NEVER stop wanting to help or be there for him or my aunt, NEVER EVER!!!