Family raising funds to bring body back from China
A bowling benefit will be held at Friendship Lanes on behalf of a family whose teenage son died of a quickly progressing illness in China.
The money will help the family bring his body back to Cape Coral.
Tylar Dobbins passed away Aug. 3 and his family is trying to raise $20,000 so it can bring his body home.
His aunt, Jacky Friedman, said the Chinese government wants $20,000 to send his body back to the States.
“He originally was going to go over for a month and then go into the Navy,” Friedman said.
Dobbins changed his mind about joining the Navy and decided to stay in China to teach conversational English.
Friedman said her nephew went to China 10 months ago.
All of a sudden on Aug. 3, he began throwing up blood and complaining of bad stomach aches. Dobbins was taken to three different hospitals before the third finally attempted treatment.
Friedman said the first two hospitals he went to were completely full.
“Thirty minutes after he was seen, he passed away,” she said.
The family is holding a few fund raisers to help raise money to bring Dobbins’ remains back to Cape Coral.
A fund-raiser was held Aug. 14 on his 20th birthday at Ale Mary’s Sports Bar and Grill. Although they raised a lot of money, Friedman said it was not enough.
The next benefit will be held at Friendship Lanes, 1899 Del Prado Blvd., S, Sunday, Aug. 21, with registration beginning at 1 p.m. and bowling kicking off at 1:30 p.m.
A silent auction, raffles and a 60/40 cash raffle will be held, along with the opportunity to purchase Tylar Dobbins wrist bands for $5 each.
The cost of $10 will give participants rental shoes and the chance to play three games of 3-6-9 for the bowling benefit.
Another benefit, a bake sale, will be held on Aug. 27 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Jim Jeffers Park.
A bank account also has been set up at Wells Fargo Bank for those who want to contribute to the Tylar Dobbins Memorial Fund.
Donations can be made at any Wells Fargo Bank branch.