Hi,

Meet my husband Tracy Boettcher and I am his wife, Amy, married 37 years and full time 24/7 caregiver for him the past 4 years.  After his diagnosis of ALS we were both forced to close our businesses and tend to health needs as our full time unpaid, very expensive jobs. We moved away from our home, most of our family and all our friends, to Dallas, TX where we LOVE being with our grandchildren and kids. But boy, oh boy, do we miss all we left back home in Peoria, Illinois.

Lack of Quality of Life is the #1 killer of those with ALS according to what doctors told us. Friends and Family ARE our lives.

The best thing for anyone's health is to be surrounded by those who love you.  The  Internet is a great way to keep in touch but is not the same as a warm hug or real enthusiasm and passion.

If you donate $20 or more to us we will send you Tracy's NEW Online Cookbook!  Just send us your Email to amyboettcher@gmail.com.

Please help us raise the money we need for car repairs and travel expenses in order to go home for a rejuvinating visit this Aug. 2-14, 2015

We went in for an oil change for our 2003 van and the car needs more than $500 in repairs to make it safe to drive (but Tracy does love adventure). Stopping will add another several hundred dollars to the bill to have the brakes fixed but we kind of feel like stopping might be even more important than driving, so on the list it goes

.  Traveling with a heavy electric wheelchair makes getting hotel rooms difficult so we don't always get a choice of using the cheapest ones as handicap accessible rooms are usually limited to 2 per hotel with only 1 being a roll in shower bathroom (if we are very lucky).  The wheelchair is nearly 400 lbs. plus Tracy and temperature control is vital for those with ALS (not to mention you can't brush your hair out of your eyes or bugs out of your teeth when you can't move so having the windows down blowing his golden locks isn't actually as romantic and fun as you might think) so we don't get the best gas mileage.

Specialty food needs mean we will need a mini refidgerator as well.  It's a real adventure traveling across country and dealing with ALS so sudden schedule changes often happen extending trips.

People often ask WHY? are we willing to put ourselves through all this when most people with ALS barely leave their bedrooms much less the state?

BECAUSE LACK OF QUALITY OF LIFE IS THE #1 KILLER OF ALSers.

You will be LITERALLY saving Tracy's life by bringing him the joy and adventure of being with friends and family.  He has already improved many issues the doctors told us were impossible to heal and he is healthier than most at this late stage of his diagnosis so it must be working.  Let's keep that going!

We thank you from the bottom of our hearts and hope you will share this fundraiser with all you know.