Dear Friends and Colleagues Please read on to the end. Many of you know me from when I used to be active in the list, for those who does not, I will briefly say that I used to be a Piano tuner and technician in Caracas, Venezuela. Member and Founder of the Venezuelan Piano Tuners Association and due to the instability of Venezuela the past two years I have been working my way towards moving to US. Presently I am in Weston Florida. and still with to many problems to be active as I used to be, but I am making an exception today, because a person, a colleague and a friend who is also a PTG member needs our help. I had the pleasure and the honor to meet Thomas Sheehan in Venezuela several years ago, he came to visit some family that lives there, and also to check some of the pianos. Since I met him I found him to be not only a professional in his line of work, but also a very nice and decent man. I met him again some time ago in one of my trips to US. Troubles had started in my Country, and he was one of the persons I could call and find support with in those times. Last year I learned he had developed cancer, I do know PTG made a fund rise and I am very grateful to all of you and his friends. But he still needs our help. I have been following up and lately as I spoke to him, (last time was yesterday evening) he has been working less and less and now Chemotherapy has undermined his strength to a point that has been unable to leave home. His long illness and the therapy have left him in a desperate economical situation, He referred many of his customers to other tuners without asking anything in exchange, and I am positive he has not asked anything else to his friends and colleagues. I took the initiative of doing it. I did talk yesterday night with Ken Swaford and Paul Kupelian and they promised me to do what they could. Please, those of you who think can help in any way get in touch either with Paul Kupelian or Ken Swaford, This is something that could happen to any of us. and I think we will all feel much better knowing we are not alone. Also, besides the economical part, those who know him or live near him, give him a call, cheer him up a little, As I understood from what he told me, Chemotherapy was achieving positive results, he is just very weak, If we can make him feel he has our support and care, that will also strengthen his will and could help a lot in his recovery. If you know people out of the list who could help or who knows him send them a copy also Any other questions you can also call me Ken and Paul's numbers you can find them in the PTG listing, Toms phone number is 1 (212) 712-0957 Beside the phone listed below you can also reach me at (954)385-6501 Thank you very much in advance Elian Degen DEGEN'S PIANO INC. 14359 Miramar Parkway # 254 Miramar, Fl 33027-1001 U.S.A. Phone: 1(954)614-3453 Fax: 1(801)640-7621
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