Canceling My Trips to Spain and Israel

I was notified a few days ago that my father was taken to the hospital after suffering sever pneumonia and possible heart attack. He is currently unconscious on life support. I’m going to cut my travels short to return to the US to be with my family.

I’ll be arriving in Barcelona on Monday and instead of going to Israel, I hope to be getting a flight back to the United States as soon as possible.

One of the downsides of long term travel is being away if something happens to your family members. It is something that everyone I know who has traveled extensively has thought about.

I’ll try to make the best of the change in plans by editing my Spain photos and plowing through the list of articles I have to write.

Assuming it is possible, I hope to return to Spain, perhaps for La Tomatina in August. I also hope to still attend TBEX in New York City in June.

Send your thoughts and prayers out to my dad.

52 thoughts on “Canceling My Trips to Spain and Israel”

  1. Best wishes go out to your father. I hope that you are able to make it home quickly and safely to be by his side.

  2. Best wishes to you, your father, and your family. I hope he makes a full and speedy recovery. Until then, he is in our thoughts and prayers.

  3. I’m so sorry to hear about your Dad, Gary. Mine is 84 and I constantly worry about this exact scenario.My greatest fear is being somewhere I can’t be reached when something happens. My prayers are with you.

  4. Hope you are able to get home quickly to be with your dad and family. My prayers are with you and yours!

  5. Wishing the best for you and your family in this difficult time. Safe Travels Gary!

  6. Gary – I’m so sorry to hear about your dad. I hope he recovers soon. I’ll be thinking of you next week and hope to see you at TBEX.

  7. Gary, my thoughts and prayers are with your Dad, you and your whole family during this time.

    I pray that God will work a miracle and touch and heal your father, and that God will also grant the doctors wisdom beyond their medical ability to help heal your father in every way, in Jesus Christ’s mighty name, Amen!

  8. I wish you home as soon as it can possibly be so you can be with your family. So sorry to hear that.

  9. That’s awful news, i’m sorry to hear it. I hope you get back to the US quickly. My thoughts are with you.

  10. Oh, dear, on life support … Gary, my prayers are winging their way to Wisconsin and to your present location. I hope you get back home ASAP, to be with your dad.

  11. I’m so sorry to hear about your dad, Gary. I hope everything turns out okay. You’re right, that is probably one of the biggest fears of travelers–being gone when something like this happens. Take care, and best wishes for your dad’s recovery.

  12. So sorry to hear that about your father. All the best to him and your family. Safe trip home.

  13. Gary I am SO SORRY! I hope you get flight back to the US ASAP and I really hope your dad will be alright. Funnily enough my husband and I have been through the combo – his dad had severe pneumonia and was unconscious for 3 weeks and my dad had a heart attack and was unconscious for 10 days… only about 6 months apart, too. BUT, both of them made it out just fine and I really hope that your dad will too. It’s so scary. I’m wishing you and your family all the best.

  14. Gary,
    I hope your dad has a swift recovery. If there’s anything that can be done by someone who’s a mere 5 hours away from him, let me know.

  15. I hope your dad recovers soon, Gary,

    best wishes to you and your family, and a speedy return.

  16. Sorry to hear about your Dad, I hope everything will be all right very soon! Best wishes

  17. Sorry to hear about this, but I hope you don’t feel guilt for not being there, or let others make you feel guilt. No one can predict when these things will happen, the only thing you can do – you are doing, going to be with your family. Good luck with rescheduling your flights and hope your father gets well soon.

  18. It’s always scary to get news like this, but when you’re far away it feels like even more helpless. Dan & I really hope that your dad recovers quickly and is back home and healthy soon. Safe travels and look forward to meeting you in person at TBEX this summer.

  19. Sorry to hear about you father. My fathers RTW was cut short in the 60’s due to his fathers health. It turned out all well, but my Dad was still grateful he went home. Best wishes for a speedy recovery.

  20. Hope your dad is recovering as you travel home. We hope he gets well again,, . Thinking of you and your family. Safe journey home Gary. xx

  21. So sorry to hear about your dad. I’m praying for you and your family and I hope that you can get home quickly without problems and that your dad recovers soon.

  22. Really sorry to hear about your dad. You’re the travel guru so this probably isn’t news to you. Just in case it helps I wanted to share this…You can use about 20,000 Miles on AA back to MSP or Wisconsin on Wednesday. It’s 50,000 Tuesday in Business. If you’re Star Alliance it may be similar. Also consolidator fare OW shouldn’t be more than $500-700 including taxes to the Midwest. Hopefully you can get off directly for the States without connecting via London or Dublin (Aer Lingus has good fares, but that ash thing is trouble) Of course, if you have travel insurance…this should count as trip interruption and you’ll be covered for everything anyway. Take care.

  23. Take care, Gary. As Judy said, family first. It’s good that you’re in a place where you can get home relatively easily.

  24. So very sorry, Gary. Hoping for healing for your dad, and much comfort and strength for all of you.

  25. Gary, sorry to hear that. You are doing the right thing to go home now. Stay safe — the journey home is incredibly horrible in circumstances like this but once you get there, things will be better. Take care and my best wishes to your family.

  26. Sorry to hear about your Dad Gary, all the best… My thoughts go out to you and your family and I hope very much everything is alright

  27. Sorry to hear that Gary. Take care of yourself. My thoughts are with you & your family.

    Keith

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