QUICK LINK: To DONATE to Boomer Esiason Foundation click HERE
QUICKLINK: To WATCH THE VIDEO click HERE
Each year, ever since I made my first video in 2009, I dedicate one marathon as a cystic fibrosis fundraiser and make a video in order to solicit donations. This year I am running the 2016 Big Sur Marathon in California and this is my video: We’re Almost Home.
This video is different from any other video I have ever made. Why? Because this year Julia agreed to not only help with it in production (she’s planning to study film when she goes off to college -she is now 17!) but also contribute to the video. And while I could write paragraph after paragraph here explaining the video, I have decided to post a letter I composed and sent to her after I completed it. It is personal but I don’t think I could do a better job explaining the content of the video.
The letter is still paragraph after paragraph so if you are tired of reading, then just click HERE (or go to the bottom of the page) to see it.
If you are so inclined, please donate by clicking HERE. ANY amount is sincerely appreciated. Thank you and have a wonderful day.
Roger
Julia,
It has taken me approx. 6 months to make this video. It is now complete and even has an introduction from Boomer Esiason mentioning you and me. Score! I feel it is important to explain to you why I spent so much time making it and why I chose this song.
In the fall of last year, I was running from my house to see you at Childrens Hospital and I had just downloaded Moby’s album “Innocents”, all tracks merged as one hour long mp3. The third song came on and it kind of stuck in my head. It was called “Almost Home”. It was slow, like me as a runner, and beautiful, like you as a person. And the words resonated with me.
When I arrived at the hospital, you, like most people who spend WAY too much time in a hospital, were in, as your mom says, a “surely mood”. (btw, as far as I’m concerned, you never need to apologize for that). Just so you know, when I’m there, outside I try to force a smile, but inside my heart is breaking every time I see you there. #truestory At one point you said “I just want to go home!” and almost immediately the song and the line “We’re Almost Home” came to mind. I could sense your anger, frustration and a million other words to describe your feelings about this horrible disease and where it had forced you to be. As Dorothy said in “The Wizard Of Oz” There’s no place like home.
And it was then that I knew I had my song.
You are not alone and you will never be. You will always have the love of many many people, some you know like your family, your friends, and me. And ironically, millions that you don’t: give a big thanks to Youtube and social media. 😉
And unfortunately you are not alone with your disease. I spend quite a bit of time on the CF Facebook page, reading the postings of others with CF, trying to understand your disease and more importantly what you must be going through. There are good times and there are bad times in everyone’s life, but in cases like yours and too many others, these times go to extreme limits and chaos that few outside the disease can comprehend.
But there is hope.
Hope that with continued advancements in medical research and drug therapy that you will have many more good times versus bad times. And I want you to know that I will do everything I can, whether it’s running marathons or throwing/attending fundraisers to help raise money and awareness for CF so that Good Times > Bad Times.
And I also want you to know that in the meantime, I will continue to do everything I can to help put a smile on your face and laughter in your heart.
And that is what this video is about.
Thank you for your help and inspiration Julia. Sometimes it might not seem it, but this world IS right for you. We’re Almost Home.
Uncle Roger 🙂
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www.RFME.org 