A man with cancer will be able to enjoy a trip with his family like he did this weekend after islanders pulled together to help him find an RV.
Loman Wilson was diagnosed with cancer last year and has been unable to run away from the nursing home he lives in due to his poor health.
Her daughter, Terry Arsenault, wanted to rent an RV before the holiday weekend so she could visit some of her favorite places, including her home and old fishing hole.
“They called me and said I should let the family know if there’s anything we want to do or anything, that we should probably make plans,” Arsenault said.
“I remember when I was a kid he’d say, ‘I’m going to get an RV’; it was called a Winnebago. . . . It’s a home away from home. Wherever you were parked, you were home.”
But Arsenault couldn’t find one during the tourist season. That is until Amanda Curtis, one of Wilson’s granddaughters, put out a call on social media.
Margaret Tesselaar contacted the family and let them use her caravan. (Tony Davis/CBC)
One islander, Margaret Tesselaar, got in touch. They got their wish on Friday.
“Margaret called us and offered it to us to use and said keep it as long as you want,” Arsenault said.
“She said we could take it at no charge. … She actually went to get propane for it. And at the gas station, she told them what was going on and they didn’t even charge anything.”
“Dad is very happy,” says Thelma Wilson. (Facebook/Amanda Curtis)
“It was something he’s always wanted,” Curtis said. “He would have been fine without it, I’m sure. But the fact that we could have done it for him, seeing the smile on his face, means a lot.”
Wilson had seven children. Two died in a house fire. He wants to visit their graves.
He will also visit friends and spend time with his family. Some of her granddaughters who came to visit the Island will also be there.
“My sister was having a hard time, but it worked out and dad is very happy,” said Thelma Wilson, one of his daughters.
“It’s hard knowing he’s sick and time is running out,” Curtis said. “But … you get the happy moments and then the emotions hit too.”
Arsenault said now that Loman is going out in the caravan, he doesn’t want to stop.