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Hey Dad,

A fellow dad needs our help. His name is Leo Akins, and seven years ago he lost his oldest son, Leo, Jr. to a rare heart disease. "There were lots of nights I would hold his little body upright against me just so he could breathe," Leo says. After a long battle, their precious little son (age 7) died in his daddy's arms.

Life continued, and Leo and his wife were assured by doctors that the disease would not affect their other son or any children they would have in the future. Four years later, they found Lyndon (age 8), lying blue on the floor. Leo administered CPR, eventually reviving him, as the paramedics arrived and whisked him off to the hospital. It was determined that Lyndon had the same disease that had killed his brother.

"Every night for a long time, I slept on the floor next to Lyndon's bed," Leo said. "I was afraid he would die in his sleep, and I wouldn't be there to help him." While Little Leo had always looked sick, Lyndon was the picture of a healthy 8-year-old. But, six months later after a normal day at home, Lyndon died. For the second time, Leo held his son and helplessly watched him slip away.

"Dads are supposed to be the hero," he told me flatly. "But I couldn't stop this. All I do is watch my children die and put them in the ground, and then they don't come home to their beds ever again. That's not much of a hero. I don't look at family videos or photographs … and everything feels gray," Leo said. "I was just starting to enjoy life again when we got the news about Leighton."

This past April, Leighton (age 5) was tested and found to have the same killer disease. "My fan club is getting smaller," Leo adds. "I know I'm supposed to treasure every day … but I fear them." But this time there's hope. Leighton is at the top of the list for a heart transplant. In fact, Leo and his wife Lisa could get the phone call today, which would whisk them off to Indianapolis so Leighton can receive a new heart and a shot at a normal life.

A heart transplant is incredibly expensive and the Akins's finances are maxed out. "I just finished paying off Lyndon's funeral," he said. "Insurance will cover the transplant, if everything goes according to plan, and about a month in the hospital. But after that, it's up to us to pay the remainder." I could see the burden in Leo's face as he painted their financial picture. The way he figures it, they're going to need about $65,000.00 the first year after the surgery to meet Leighton's needs. Many have volunteered to have bake sales, garage sales, and art auctions to help raise the money, but they still need much more.

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