Dear Friends, Family, and Community,
We are reaching out with heavy hearts but hopeful spirits to share the story of Guy Hamilton, who means the world to us — a man many of you know as “The Parts Guy” — and to ask for your support during the most difficult journey of his life.
In August of 2024, after months of confusing symptoms that began with weakness in his hands, slurred speech, and neck pain, our beloved husband, father, grandfather, and friend received a devastating diagnosis: Bulbar Onset ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis) a rare and aggressive form of a progressive neurodegenerative disease. It is terminal. Life expectancy is just 2–5 years from diagnosis.
ALS has moved fast and hit hard.
What began in September 2023 as what we thought was carpal tunnel quickly progressed to visible symptoms by February 2024, diagnosis in August, and forced retirement by September 1, 2024.
By January 2025, Guy had a feeding tube placed and began using a wheelchair. Today, he requires constant care and is fully dependent on assistive devices and others for nearly every aspect of daily living.
Physically, Guy faces:
• Slurred speech and the loss of nearly all hand function
• Inability to walk or stand without full support
• Breathing difficulties requiring BiPAP and other devices
• Fatigue, muscle cramps, twitching, and pain
• Feeding tube dependence and severe weight loss
Emotionally, Guy and our family are struggling with:
• The grief of losing independence and physical function
• Depression, anxiety, and mental fatigue
• Fear of what’s coming next
Financially, ALS has devastated us:
• The abrupt end to his career removed significant income
• Home modifications, adaptive equipment, and non-medical
caregiving are mostly not covered by insurance
• The cost of a wheelchair-accessible vehicle, full-time care,
home remodels, and essential equipment is overwhelming
• We’re currently looking into installing a generator because
power outages now put his life at risk — affecting his
breathing equipment, bed, and more
Despite all of this, he is still the guy we all know and love. Guy’s a Chevy, Harley-Davidson, and Cadillac service and “Parts Guy,” famous for his customer service and big laugh. He’s a proud Purdue, White Sox and Colts fan, a hunter and fisherman, an avid billiard player, bowler, and collector of all things cool — from beer glasses, tappers and shot glasses to coins, cards, and watches. He’s a Star Wars and Lord of the Rings buff, a music lover, and a spontaneous motorcycle rider who once said yes to a trip just to “see where the road goes.”
Guy been married for 32+ years to his wife, Brandy, raised two wonderful children, Taylor and Cody, and is now “PaPa” to the light of his life, his granddaughter, Lily — his reason for fighting, his joy, and his motivation to keep going every day. What breaks our hearts the most is that ALS has taken away his ability to pick her up, carry her around, and take her on all the adventures he had planned.
Right now, we are asking for help.
We need help covering the staggering and growing costs of:
• A wheelchair-accessible van
• Bathroom remodel to allow him to use it safely
• Home medical equipment, much of which isn’t covered by
insurance
• Non-medical caregiving assistance to help with daily living
• And ideally, a home generator to ensure that life-saving
equipment doesn’t fail during power outages
ALS has stripped away so much — and it came on so fast we didn’t have time to prepare. We are doing all we can with support from amazing organizations like Team Gleason and ALS United Chicago, and through borrowed equipment and out- of-pocket purchases. But the costs keep rising, and so do the physical and emotional demands.
If you’d like to learn more about ALS and why this disease is so cruel, please visit:
• www.youralsguide.com – practical information and guidance
• Matts Place Foundation – videos on ALS home renovation
If you’ve ever laughed with Guy, worked with him, shot pool with him, rode motorcycles with him, cheered on Purdue with him, or just know the kind of man he is — the kind who’d give
the shirt off his back or the last beer in his fridge — please consider donating, sharing our story, or simply sending your love.
This disease has taken so much, but we still have time to make memories, ease his burden, and support this incredible man through the hardest fight of his life.
With deepest gratitude,
The Hamilton Family
Guy, Brandy, Taylor, Cody, Anie and Lily
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