To help her terminally ill father spend more time with the love of his life, a Langley woman helped organize one final Valentine鈥檚 Day surprise.
鈥淗e doesn鈥檛 have much time left, we know this is his last Valentine鈥檚 Day,鈥� said Lauren Compton.
Compton鈥檚 father Dennis, 71, is currently battling amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) in a Surrey hospice.
鈥淥n Valentine鈥檚 Day, I decided to pick him up and take him home to see my mom鈥� he has always given her flowers on Valentine鈥檚 Day,鈥� Compton noted.
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In keeping with tradition Dennis arrived home on Valentine鈥檚 Day to gift his wife Janet, 63, a bouquet of blooms.
As a keepsake Compton made a video that documents the day leading up to her mother鈥檚 emotional reaction when she sees Dennis come home.
The video shows the pair sharing a tearful embrace.
鈥淚 didn鈥檛 originally plan on making a video鈥� [and then] I just couldn鈥檛 stop watching it,鈥� Compton said.
Dennis first started experiencing symptoms of ALS in March when he began to lack movement in his foot.
鈥淗e just wanted to fight really hard,鈥� Compton explained.
After Dennis was diagnosed he created his own acronym for ALS: alive and living strong.
ALS is a disease that gradually paralyzes people because the brain is no longer able to communicate with the muscles of the body, according to the ALS Society of Canada.
鈥淗e didn鈥檛 actually think he would make it to Christmas,鈥� Compton said.
To help their father add to his legacy Compton and her two sisters organized a gofundme campaign to raise money for the ALS Society of BC.
The goal was to raise $2,000, instead the campaign raised $24,000.
鈥淗e was so overwhelmed,鈥� Compton said. 鈥淗e was crying, he was so emotional.鈥�
Because the group donated the money raised on Giving Tuesday the ALS Society of BC matched the donation.
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鈥淭he money went directly to providing equipment to families who have someone struggling with ALS鈥� so [they] can live comfortably in their home,鈥� Compton explained.
Dennis has been fighting to stay alive until June, but Compton believes he doesn鈥檛 have much time left.
鈥淗e really wanted to survive until June 19 of this year because that鈥檚 [my parent鈥檚] 40th wedding anniversary鈥� he鈥檚 really hung up on this idea of hanging in their until their 40th wedding anniversary, but unfortunately that鈥檚 not going to happen for him.鈥�
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