To the Editor:

I am 41 years old, and a native of Selma. I am writing this letter to see if there is anything you can do to help me realize a dream I have to honor my mother. I know you receive many requests for help but I hope that by sharing my story with you, you will find it possible to help me make a dream of mine turn into a reality.

This is my story:

On June 16, my mother and I were at the Vaughan Regional Medical Center where she was to have tests run. Everything went fine, so I took her back to the nursing home, and returned home. That evening I called my brother, and told him I was feeling weak, particularly in my legs. He told me to go to the emergency room, but I thought I would be alright. Instead, I took some aspirin and went to bed.

When I woke up the leg was still very weak, so I got up and went to the emergency room. The news was not good. The first exam showed I had very high blood pressure, but that was followed by worse news – the doctor informed me I had a blood clot in my left side. It moved to my brain and came over to my right shoulder and leg, which paralyzed my entire right side. I stayed in the hospital for observation while they gave me a blood thinner medication. Unfortunately, the next morning, I couldn’t move my right arm, leg or feet. I evidently had a stroke sometime during the night.

I was transferred to UAB Hospital in Birmingham where I spent the rest of the month.

In August they finally let me come home. I went to visit my mother in the nursing home. She was so glad to see me; I kissed her and told her I would see her the following week. Little did I know that would be the last time I would see my mother.

We talked on the phone during the following week, but on Friday I received a call from a nurse at the facility asking if a family member could come to the nursing home. I told her my sister would come. I called my brother who lives in Montgomery. He called the nursing home and they told him Mom had died.

I was so filled with grief and guilt but with the Lord’s help, I made it through. You see, before I became ill I was the owner of an entertainment club called Platinum South but I have since had to close it down due to my health problems. I had always told my mother that my business was a family restaurant. This was something she would approve of and could be proud of. The few times she came to the club I made sure that it was closed for the day. She never knew it was an entertainment club. When my mother died, I decided to do something to honor my mother and to free myself from the years of deceit. My dream is to re-open my establishment as the restaurant my mother thought I owned and in memory of her call it “Catherine’s Family Restaurant.”

The building has 20,000-square-feet, so I have plenty of room.

I’m having a lot of trouble realizing my dream, but I believe God will see me through it. After my mother’s funeral, my sister had a heart attack. She is doing fine for now but she worries me because she does not do what her doctor tells her to do.

I’m asking you from the bottom of my heart if you will, please help. I know you have a generous spirit and so I am humbly requesting you to assist me. Yes, I am asking for financial help, but actually I am asking for more than that. As you know, money doesn’t fix everything and my family in our various health crisis need some help to get us back on the road to following dreams and living.

With great respect,

Reginald Towns

130 County Road 317

Sardis, AL 36775

877-4493