DEMOPOLIS-Tim Ford, who works at Windom Motors in Demopolis just returned home from an African hunting safari that opened his life from worrying about dieing to living for the day.

The trip was the best of his lifetime, which was very special because he is a terminally ill cancer patient. But it also allowed him a chance to experience the joys of life with his best friends and not worry about the cancer or the chemotherapy.

“This trip was a total surprise,” Ford said, “My friend of over 50 years, Bob Foulkord and Ken Moody setup this hunting trip with the help of my family and church in Pennsylvania.”

Ford has a terminal case of renal (kidney) cancer, but he hasn’t let that or a heart attack slow him down from enjoying the beauty of the outdoors and the thrill of the hunt. When Bob (Foulkord) called me that day and told me that a hunting trip in South Africa was planned for me, it was a total surprise.

“He asked me if I felt like taking a trip to South Africa,” Ford said, “I asked my friends, Donnie Lowe and Steve Miller if they wanted to go as well.”

The way they put this trip together for me just goes to show that there are still some good people out there that care more about their friends, and then they do themselves. The trip was like spending 10 days in a time capsule because there was no cancer or stress just pure wonderful peace.

“I’m truly blessed with great friends,” Ford said, “I truly wish every person in the world could experience South Africa.”

During his two-week trip in Polokwane, South Africa, he shot many different animals about 10 in all including two zebras and an Eland. He is planning on going back to South Africa as soon as he can.

“One of the scarier moments of the trip was when a Black Mamba (most poisonous snake in the world) fell into the truck with me,” Ford said, “Moody said it had been about 10 years since he last saw one.”

Lowe also really enjoyed his first trip to South Africa because he has always wanted to hunt there. He already had his animals picked out before he left for Africa.

“Africa was the most exciting place I’ve ever experienced in my life,” Lowe said, “I killed many different animals as well, but I had to get a zebra for my wife because she wanted a nice rug.”

This trip couldn’t have happened to a better man than Tim (Ford). This trip will stay with me forever.