Appeal for help to send dying father to Graceland
A DEVOTED daughter has launched a fundraising bid to help get her Elvis-mad father to Graceland after he was diagnosed with a devastating degenerative illness.
Louise Hornby, 31, is hoping to raise £3,500 as soon as possible to take her father Robert on the trip of a lifetime to the late star’s mansion in Memphis in the United States.
The 55-year-old, of West Park, Leeds, was diagnosed last year with progressive bulbar palsy motor neurone disease (MND) – a rare condition which leads to gradual paralysis and eventual death.
It has already robbed the father of two of his ability to speak or eat and drink and doctors have said he has a maximum life expectancy of between 14 months and three years.
Ms Hornby, who has given up her job and home to care for her father, said: “It’s heartbreaking. It’s a cruel disease. There is no cure. It’s just devastated the family.
“He’s still mentally capable. It’s just his brain is not connecting with the rest of his body.
“It feel like I’m watching this disease take him away from me day by day and there’s nothing I can do.”
Ms Hornby said the family always wanted to take him to Graceland for his 60th birthday but now fear he will not reach that date.
“He’s always been a massive Elvis fan, since I can remember.
“It was always on in the house and at family gatherings he would be on the dancefloor. He has every LP and CD – just a massive fan. Graceland has been somewhere he always wanted to go. If I can do this one thing for him, I would be very happy. We’d like to do it while he is still has some mobility.”
Ms Hornby has also moved her wedding date forward to make sure her father can be with her on her big day.
Scrapping an already-booked date in June, she is now set to wed fiancé Christopher Douglas, 31, on April 7 with a ceremony at Leeds Town Hall. “With dad’s condition progressing, I made the decision to bring it forward so I can have him there and he is physically able to walk me down the aisle. That’s my wish.”
She added: “Christopher’s aware that my dad comes first. He’s been so supportive. I couldn’t ask for a better partner.”
To donate to help Mr Hornby get to Graceland, visit https:// www.justgiving.com/crowd funding/louise-hornby. Any excess donations will be given to the MND Association.