I’m sure you remember Cleveland Smith, the gentleman I painted earlier this year to help in his recovery from Lou Gehrig’s disease.

The Smith family remains hopeful, and despite some setbacks, Cleveland has made great progress these past few months.

There is one gift they would like to give him this holiday season, and that is the gift of the ability to travel anywhere using the StairTrac.

A Stair Trac is a device that helps wheelchair-bound patients climb up and down stairs anywhere. With Stair Trac, Cleveland could access all major museums, the homes of family and friends, and anywhere else his family wants to take him to visit.

Stair Tracs can be expensive ($6,000), but if you would like to help the Smith family meet their goal of getting Cleveland this life-changing gift, his daughter, Christina, has set up 3 ways you can help.

1. For donations:

You can make a donation online using PayPal-click HERE

-OR-

2. You can help him by trying one of his telecommunications services. The family is looking for a miracle!  If 80 people try out a service by December 29th, we’ll be able to raise enough money to buy him a stair trac before the end of the year!

Click here for more information.

OR

3. Make a Check/Money Order out to Cleveland Smith

and mail it to Cleveland Smith’s Stair Trac Fund

c/o Tucky Art

PO BOX 5904

Vallejo, CA 94591

Blessings to all of you!  Thank you in advance for your help!

I’m asking that everyone who reads this to keep Cleveland Smith and his Family in their prayers.

In fact, if you have any words of encouragement, I’ll pass it along to his daughter to give to Cleveland.

I was very touched by the situation. I believe in modern medicine, but there is something to be said about the power of the mind.  I mean, what does this family have to lose? And nobody can really tell how long someone has to live.

Beyond it all, I feel very inspired and happy to participate in this project. Here is the initial email sent to me by his daughter–

I was doing a keyword search for sketch artists in Modesto, CA. I came to a website called Partypop.com and then I found your listing there. I love your artwork. My father was diagnosed with Lou Gehrig’s disease back in Sept 2009. He believes he can come back from it. Our family is working on serious faith right now despite appearances. He has lost a tremendous amount of weight. He is 6′2″ and weighs approx 133 lbs. We keep telling our dad to visualize himself back healthy again standing tall and out in front of that same doctor’s office with his whole family, next to his new Bentley! Getting ready to go inside and shake the doctor’s hand who told him he wasn’t going to make it past 3 months! Tucky, it is my fondest desire to have a painting like this drawn. I know that it will do wonders for my dad. He is already doing many things that people who have ALS can’t do. He is really resisting this thing and believing in God’s promises of healing. I believe in my heart that seeing how he envisions himself-in the form of a beautiful piece of artwork-done by a fine artist such as yourself….would be a truly great gift! I await your reply… All the best, Christina

From time to time I will post the progress made on both Cleveland and the painting….

I dig it.

I remember the original LP– still have that vinyl at my parents’ house. I was really fond of the song Prince did– “4 The Tears In Your Eyes” and Bruce Springsteen’s “Trapped”.

Say what you want about celebrities– but a lot of them do give back.

Apparently there is a cleaning service that will help women who are undergoing Chemo. This company will clean your house 1 time per month for 4 months.

Click pic for the website, and pass this info to somebody who needs it!! You know da*n well someone wouldn’t feel like doing ANYTHING after those treatments…..