kindred spirits always…
There’s something special about sidecar riders that travel long and wide with their canine co-pilots. We’re all connected and we’ll drop everything in a moment if there’s a way to help when we know one of our own is in need. Ara was one of my first sidecar dog friends, he doesn’t ride anymore, and is left in pretty rough shape after living on the road for over a decade! He’s undergoing a big surgery soon and there’s going to be whole bunch of bills that my friend is in need of some help covering.
Ara connected to me when I was on the road, broken down and broken spirited, worried that my adventure, after only a few weeks in, might be over. When I was feeling defeated his friendship and advice kept me going onwards, to live the adventure that shaped my life!
>>>If you choose to help the cause, I would love to match your donation with a gift card through Sidecar to say thank you for helping my friend, just holler at me!
Ara’s story as relayed by his friend Maya: He is a full-blooded Armenian, raised in France as an only child, but was sent to the US where he built his life as a 5-star Chef. He had one child, Lance, who passed away from liver cancer at the age of 26. Left grieving and broke, Ara spent the next 14 years camping full time with just his motorcycle and his pit bull buddy named Spirit.
He is now 76 years old, settled in Alamogordo, NM with his new service buddy, Ghost. All those years living on the road has unfortunately affected his spine, which in turn affects his overall wellbeing. Ara is looking to get spinal fusion where four of his vertebrae (L 2 3 4 5) will be permanently joined together to alleviate the excruciating pain in his movements.
He writes to everyone: "The journey that brought me to this moment has been a long one while 76 years have passed. 20 years ago the loss of my son with liver cancer at his tender age of 26 due to medical expenses left me broke. But money is only a commodity, isn't it? As the years have passed fast forward to today, it is time for me to have a spinal fusion, the second one so far and hopefully the last one. I have found myself financially short of my co-pay which is $4,000 and some change, reason I am here asking for help as much as I don't want to. It should not be this way, at my age, being financially short to allow me to have surgery, a much-needed one, but such is Life, imperfect at times as it is now. Thank you. Stay well, Ara"
You can send your donations directly to him through his own Paypal (paypal.me/AraGureghian) or through me (PayPal *please always choose “For friends and family” as the Payment Type, BPI, Unionbank, Gcash - QR codes in the photos). You can also help him directly by purchasing his book "Freedom on Both Ends of the Leash", A Dog, His Man, Their Journey on Amazon (available on Kindle and paperback). And lastly, by simply sharing this campaign! 🙂
We thank you for all your help!