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Snohomish County woman in race against time to honor beloved grandfather

Weldon Thomas helped liberate Europe from the Nazis. Now, his granddaughter wants the world to know about his heroism.

STANWOOD, Wash. — Cindy Obregon's grandfather was her hero.

"He inspired me in so many aspects of my life," she explained.

That feeling was forever cemented in Obregon’s mind when she interviewed him for a school project when she was 13 years old.

Obregon’s grandfather, Weldon Thomas, fought at the Battle of the Bulge and helped liberate an Austrian concentration camp during World War II.

"He sat down, and he told me the truth," Obregon said. "He told me everything he had seen and what had happened."

Obregon kept a notebook with meticulous details about her grandfather's service.

"This is history, and my grandfather was there," she proudly stated.

Obregon’s plan was to one day write a book about her hero, but life had other plans.

"I thought I had a little more time," she said, fighting back tears. "I thought I had more time."

Last July, Obregon was diagnosed with a rare form of sarcoma, a type of bone cancer. Doctors said one of a million people are diagnosed. She's already at stage 4. The cancer is incurable. Obregon is just 39 years old.

"I'm at war every day. That's how I look at it. Every day, I'm at war," Obregon said.

And like her grandfather, she is fighting with all her might.

Obregon had her tumors removed and donated them to researchers to help find a cure for others. She is on a daily regimen of exercise and healthy smoothies to help conquer her cancer.

She also has a plan to nourish her soul.

Weldon Thomas always wanted to return to Europe and retrace his battle route, paying respects to those who never came home. He died of a massive heart attack before he could go on the journey.

"He's gone now, and he can't take that trip, but I can take it for him," Obregon said with a look of conviction. "I'm his granddaughter, and he's still with me."

Despite her diagnosis, Obregon is planning to take a two-week trip next year starting in Normandy, France, through Belgium's Battle of the Bulge and ending at that Austrian concentration camp on the 75th anniversary of its liberation.

"It took a lot of strength for my grandfather to tell me all the stuff that he did. It's an important message and I don't want it to die with me," Obregon explained.

It will take a lot for Obregon to get there, but she keeps her grandfather's voice in her head.

"He'd tell me, 'sometimes life is hard. You have to put one foot in front of the other and just don't give up,'" Obregon said.

When told she might be her grandfather's hero, Obregon demurred. 

"That's quite an honor," she said. "He was an incredible man."

Proof that heroes fight on many different battlefields.

Her friends established a GoFundMe page to help with medical expenses and travel costs for the trip to Europe. 

A Team Cindy Obregon account has also been set up through Key Bank in Granite Falls. The account is #478600120065 for anyone who would prefer to make donations directly.

Several community events have also been organized to raise money for the cause:

Arlington motorcycle ride and benefit concert: August 24.

Team Cindy 5K walk/run: August 3, 9 a.m.-1 p.m., Granite Falls High School. Tickets: $35.

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