Man with cancer gets his wish after Islanders come together to help find him an RV

A man with cancer will be able to enjoy a trip with his family like he used to this weekend after Islanders came together to help find him an RV.

Loman Wilson was diagnosed with cancer last year and hasn't been able to get away from the seniors' home where he lives due to his poor health. 

His daughter, Terry Arsenault, wanted to rent an RV ahead of the holiday weekend so he could visit some of his favourite places, including his homestead and his old fishing hole. 

"They called me and told me I should let the family know if there's something we want to do or something like that, that we should probably make plans," Arsenault said.

"I remember as children he would say to me, 'I'm going to get an RV' — he would call it a Winnebago ... It is a home away from home. Wherever you were parked, you were home."

But Arsenault wasn't able to find one during the busy tourism season. That is until Amanda Curtis, one of Wilson's granddaughters, put out a call on social media.

An Islander, Margaret Tesselaar, got in touch. By Friday, they got their wish.

"Margaret gave us a call and she offered it to us to use and she said, keep it as long as you like," Arsenault said.

"She actually said we could take it at no charge.... She actually went and got propane for it. And the gas station, she told them what was happening and they didn't even charge anything."

"It was something that he's always wanted," Curtis said. "He would have been fine without it, I'm sure. But the fact that we were able to do it for him, seeing the smile on his face, it means a lot."

Wilson had seven children. Two died in a house fire. He wants to visit their graves.

He will, also visit friends and just spend time with his family. Some of his granddaughters who were coming to the Island to visit will be there, too.

"My sister was having a hard time, but it worked out and dad's so happy," said Thelma Wilson, one of his daughters.

"It is hard knowing that he's sick and time is running short," Curtis said. "But ... you get the happy moments and then the emotions hit as well."