JEFFERSON — It was 5:30 a.m. on Black Friday 2007, and Vance Hinkle was a man on a mission.
Armed with a shopping list and an infallible holiday spirit, Vance spent the day bargain hunting, gathering everything his four children wanted for Christmas.
“He was so excited,” 9-year-old daughter Ariel Hinkle said. “Dad loves Christmas.”
Just a few weeks later, Vance began struggling with his speech. More problems followed and by March he was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), commonly known as Lou Gehrig's disease.
There is no cure for ALS, which attacks the central nervous system.
This year, Vance Hinkle can’t walk or speak. Children Colton, 15, Lucas, 12, Blake, 16, and Ariel and wife Wendy Hinkle are wading their way through the holiday season, thankful Vance is still with them, praying he’ll make it another year.
“The progression (of the disease) was really fast, Wendy Hinkle said. “So fast it takes your breath away.”
Friends and family of the Hinkles recognize the close-knit family’s struggles and hosted a benefit spaghetti dinner at the Jefferson Community Center Sunday afternoon. The group prepared 300 plates of pasta and sold out within an hour, organizer Janice Layman said.
“We had to buy pizza to feed people,” she said.
A pastor at the Harvest International Church on West 57th Street in Ashtabula, Wendy Hinkle said God sent their friends and family to help at just the right time.
“Medicare begins for Vance on Dec. 1,” she said. “But disability checks don’t begin until Jan. 28. That leaves us with two mortgage payments and Christmas to get through. These needs all came up at once and I didn’t know how we would do it.”
Because the family’s health care benefits were through Vance’s job at Praxair Inc. in Canton, Wendy must also cover the family’s insurance benefits.
As people settled down to warm plates of pasta, Wendy Hinkle smiled, laughed, hugged and cried her way through the day.
“Vance is an incredible husband, incredible friend and he is a great spiritual leader,” Wendy Hinkle said. “A lot of people look at him with pity, but he tells them not to feel sorry for him. He knows he has strength in the Lord. He lives his faith and he comes out pure gold in this.”
Christmas is an especially important time for the Hinkles as Vance and Wendy will also celebrate their 18th wedding anniversary on Christmas Eve.
“This year, this journey has been such a life lesson for our family. It made us realize that you should grab onto every second of life and love one another,” Wendy Hinkle said. “We are grateful to have this time, this holiday and we are overwhelmingly grateful to this amazing community that has supported us.”
A respite fund for Vance Hinkle has been established at Andover Bank. Donations can be made at any bank branch. Christmas gifts for the Hinkle children can be dropped off at Harvest International Church (The Dream Center) on West 57th Street.
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Tragic year for family
Father stricken by ALS, can’t walk, talk
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