Richard Hayward was living what he saw as a regular American life as a retiree in Washington. He served in the army, married the love of his life and raised five children on a police officer's salary.
That is, until he was diagnosed with throat cancer a couple of years ago.
His daughter Melissa, a Greensboro resident, would lift his spirits by sending her dad a "hello"----through a text message, email or phone call---every day.
One day, she let one well positioned person know about her dad.