PALM HARBOR, Fla. — While some people look to get away for the holidays, one Palm Harbor man wants nothing more than to be home.
- Terminally ill man coming home for Thanksgiving
- Scott Piwinski diagnosed with throat cancer
- Family, friends fixing up his home so he can leave Hospice, be at home
Scott Piwinski was diagnosed with terminal cancer, and given only a short time to live, his friends, family, and even some strangers, all came together to make sure his final days are spent at home surrounded by his loved ones.
Scott’s daughter, Rachael, says her dad is one of the nicest guys you’ll ever meet. A father to quadruplets, and a retired Coast Guard Chief, Scott spent his life helping people.
"He would give a stranger the shirt off his back, and he never asks for help," said Rachael. "He never tucks his tail. He fights forward all the time."
That all changed two years ago, though.
Scott was diagnosed with throat cancer. It quickly spread to his lungs, and in August, doctors found tumors in his brain. Rachael dropped everything to move in with her dad, but she couldn’t keep up with everything that needed to be done around the house.
"This is the house I grew up in. This is the home he wanted for his family, and it was just crumbling around him, and I feel like he felt trapped," she said.
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The volunteers repaired the roof of Scott’s house, painted, and took care of other repairs. They also laid new floors throughout with the help of RCI Flooring. (Spectrum News image)
Rachael made it her mission to get their home back in tip top shape so her dad could be released from Hope Hospice and spend his final days in peace. All it took was for the Coast Guard to find out a fellow Coastie needed help, and dozens of retired and active duty members came to help.
In a matter of days, the volunteers repaired the roof of Scott’s house, painted, and took care of other repairs. They also laid new floors throughout with the help of RCI Flooring.
Tim Heffernan, a longtime friend and fellow Coast Guard member, said doing these repairs around Scott’s house is the least he could do for him.
"I know where he’s at right now, he’s sick, but this helps me get through that, knowing I’m helping him and he would be doing the same thing for me," said Heffernan.
Now, the renovations at Scott’s home are complete and after fighting for so long, on Wednesday, Scott will finally go home.
"It’s amazing the community pulled together for him because he deserves it, he really does," said Rachael.
If you would like to help, Scott’s family has set up a GoFundMe page to raise money to help with his medical expenses.