John Futch, former Press-Telegram editor, suffers severe head injury in Cambodia

John Futch, a Vietnam Veteran, lifelong journalist and former Press-Telegram editor has spent his retirement in Cambodia. Recently Futch has fallen ill in Cambodia and now family and friends are uniting to get him proper healthcare and possibly bring him home to the United States. (Photo courtesy of John Futch)
By Hayley Munguia | [email protected] | Long Beach Press-Telegram
UPDATED: February 19, 2021 at 4:52 p.m.

Former Press-Telegram editor John Futch, whose multiple stints at the paper spanned three decades, is being treated in a Cambodian hospital for a severe head injury he sustained during a fall last week, his family said, and U.S. officials are attempting to ensure he gets the best care.

Futch, who retired from the paper in 2010, has lived in Cambodia in recent years and was exiting a vehicle on Friday, Feb. 12, when the 75-year-old fell and hit the back of his head. Doctors have since diagnosed him with subdural hematoma near the injury site and a possible stroke, said Futch’s adopted son, Michael Delorio. A subdural hematoma is when blood collects and exerts pressure on the brain.

Futch, a Vietnam War veteran, was first hired at the Press-Telegram in 1983 and rose through the ranks to become executive news editor three years later. He left the job in 1995 for a position with the Boca Raton News, in Florida, but returned in 1997 and later became the executive city editor, the No. 2 job in the newsroom.

John Futch, a Vietnam Veteran, lifelong journalist and former Press-Telegram editor has spent his retirement in Cambodia. Recently Futch has fallen ill in Cambodia and now family and friends are uniting to get him proper healthcare and possibly bring him home to the United States.

In 2008, Futch became involved in the Press-Telegram’s coverage of Davik Teng, who came to the United States from Cambodia when she was a 9 years old so she could have surgery to repair a damaged heart.

Long Beach is home to the largest concentration of Cambodians outside the Southeast Asian country, and so the Press-Telegram followed her journey throughout. In 2016, Futch traveled to Cambodia with Peter Chhun, the founder of nonprofit Hearts Without Boundaries, which helped save the lives of poor Cambodian children with heart ailments. Futch fell in love with Cambodia on that trip.

Futch has been hospitalized since his fall, Delorio said, adding that his condition has continually fluctuated.

“Some days are better, and some days are worse,” he said. “The situation is rapidly changing.”

Delorio, 25, said Futch has had issues with his memory and motor skills that are common with traumatic brain injuries, and he has also exhibited symptoms that can be associated with strokes, such as slurred words.

Though Futch has lived in Cambodia in recent years, he is still a U.S. citizen and has an address in Congressman Alan Lowenthal’s Long Beach district, so the U.S. Embassy in Cambodia and the Lowenthal’s office have both been involved in ensuring Futch receives adequate care.

Right after the fall, Futch was admitted to the Preah Ket Mealea Hospital in the Cambodian capital of Phnom Penh, where he was treated for about three days. But after U.S. officials looked into his case, Futch was transferred to the embassy-recommended Hope Worldwide Community Medical Center, also in Phnom Penh. Futch has received much better care at the second hospital, Delorio said.
https://www.presstelegram.com/2021/02/1 ... ad-injury/

For information:
If you are a friend of John's, his friends are keeping each other up to date on his situation on his FB page, after his Cambodian wife posted this cry for help:

John Futch's Medical Expense Fund:

https://www.gofundme.com/f/john-futchs- ... e=customer

Brody wrote: ↑Sat Feb 20, 2021 7:16 pm John Futch's Medical Expense Fund:

https://www.gofundme.com/f/john-futchs- ... e=customer

Update:

I wish him well,

BUT....

Yet again we have an expat who appears to not have any medical/medivac insurance, and has to rely on the charity of others when things 'go wrong'.

What is the matter with people? This guy is seemingly intelligent and educated, yet is willing to rely on good luck not to have an accident, and the charity of friends and strangers when things do go wrong. He seems to have lived in Cambodia for years, and had plenty of time to sort out insurance cover or a medical cash fund.

If you don't have the money, or don't have the insurance, don't go and live in a developing country with sub-standard medical facilities.

I have no idea if he registered with the VA. They do have a VA telephone number in the Philippines. 011-632-318-8387. BUT you have to have pre-registered with the VA as living outside the USA. And even in the Philippines the VA center is really only an outpatient facility and anything serious is operated as a referral to a Philippine hospital. But they might be able to put the family in touch with an organization/charity that helps veterans overseas. I don't believe there are any VA medical facilities anymore in either Japan nor South Korea.

This makes no real sense to me. The gentleman had a successful career and certainly is receiving at least social security. You'd think he has either a small pension (which given its newspaper could now be even smaller due to BK/restructuring) or an IRA/401K. Not sure if he served in combat while in Vietnam - if so there are various military programs to supplement his income if he has little net worth/income.

It may be that he's ok with this being the end and that is a decision for each individual to make for himself/herself. I know that when I know I'm really near the end I don't really want anything extraordinary to be done - rather have what I've got left to go to my kids as opposed to a 6 figure hospital bill to keep me alive for another week or two.

Good luck to the gentleman

Friends rally to help former Press-Telegram editor John Futch, who was injured in Cambodia
By Rich Archbold | [email protected] | Press-Telegram
PUBLISHED: February 20, 2021 at 6:00 a.m. | UPDATED: February 20, 2021 at 6:01 a.m.

John Futch has always been there for anyone in need.

When he was a first lieutenant during the Vietnam War, commanding 182 men. When he was a newsroom veteran putting out a daily newspaper under sometimes daunting conditions. When he mentored young journalists who went on to become among the best in the business.

If you had a problem, you could always count on John Carnes Futch to be one of the first to help you out.

And now Futch is in need himself after suffering a severe head injury and possible stroke 8,000 miles away in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, his second home since retiring from the news business. His former colleagues and friends are rallying to his aid.

If Futch knew what was going on, he probably would be the first to ask, “What’s all the fuss about?”

He is an unassuming, modest man who always gave credit to the journalists working with him and taking almost none for himself.

In a memo to me about a missed deadline one night, he wrote: “We blew the 10:20, and it can only be blamed on my stupidity, not the troops.”

In his 24 years at the Press-Telegram, he was a solid leader in a variety of jobs — capped by being named managing editor in 2005.

When I was managing editor, I hired Futch, in 1983, as our editor in charge of the community news section, “Neighbors.” He had spent the early years of his career at the Athens Daily News and Atlanta Journal-Constitution after graduating from the University of Georgia. It’s hard to imagine a bigger fan of the Georgia Bulldogs football team than Futch.

After joining the P-T, Futch was quickly promoted from the Neighbors section to the news desk, where he took on the demanding job of executive news editor in charge of getting the paper out at night. He held that desk together through earthquakes, elections, civil unrest and thousands of other stories.

He was especially proud of the Press-Telegram’s coverage of the Rodney King demonstrations in the early 1990s, which resulted in devastating fires and looting in Long Beach. After one particularly tumultuous night, Futch held up a copy of the front page of the Press-Telegram with a photo of burning buildings and the headline, “Long Beach Aflame.”
John Futch, a Vietnam Veteran, lifelong journalist and former Press-Telegram editor has spent his retirement in Cambodia. Recently Futch has fallen ill in Cambodia and now family and friends are uniting to get him proper healthcare and possibly bring him home to the United States.(Photo courtesy of John Futch)

In 1993, he made an unusual request.

“The first thing we learned in Vietnam was, ‘Never volunteer,’ but that’s not my nature, so here goes,” he told me.

He proposed that he be put in charge of installing and implementing the Press-Telegram’s new online publishing system in the newsroom while still keeping an eye on the news desk because he didn’t want to get away from “the day-to-day joys of newspapering.” His proposal was quickly approved and he did a great job with his usual aplomb.

On a personal note, he also found time — somehow — to help set up my home computers, connecting me with the internet.

In 1995, Futch left Long Beach to join the Boca Raton News, in Florida, as managing editor. Shortly after, he became executive editor.

He left that paper when it was sold in 1997 and returned to Long Beach.

Futch ultimately resumed his executive news editor duties and, in 2005, was named managing editor. When the managing editor position was eliminated as part of a restructuring, Futch left the P-T but returned not long after as executive city editor — the newsroom’s No. 2 position.

Then came a story that would have a profound impact on his life.

Davik Teng, a 9-year-old Cambodian girl came to Los Angeles for surgery to repair a heart defect. The Press-Telegram chronicled Davik’s journey here, her surgery and her return to Cambodia — and Futch was deeply involved in the coverage.

Futch, who retired in 2010, developed a close friendship with Peter Chhun, the founder of Hearts Without Boundaries, the nonprofit that brought Davik to the United States. Futch even went to Cambodia in 2016 to spend time with Chhun.

When Chhun died in July, Futch memorialized him on Facebook.

“Hearts Without Boundaries” he wrote, “lost its biggest heart yesterday.”

When word of Futch’s injury spread, former colleagues spoke of his leadership at the Press-Telegram.

“John was one of the best editors I ever worked with at the Press-Telegram,” said former reporter Karen Robes Meeks, now a freelance writer. “He was patient, kind and hard-working, and inspired you to work just as hard as he did because you didn’t want to let him down.”

Valerie Martinez, another former reporter who founded her own communications company, said Futch was a great mentor when she started out as a young reporter.

“He imparted crucial wisdom to me,” she said. “In short, his advice was: Pick your timing, know your strengths, shoot straight and always write a thank you note. That’s Futch.”

Kathy Berry, former public relations director at the Press-Telegram with her own firm now, called Futch “an incredible journalist” who cared deeply about Long Beach and the Press-Telegram.

“He had integrity, was caring and was dedicated to his profession,” Berry said. “He also formed lasting friendships with many people.”

Futch’s adopted son, Michael Delorio, has started a GoFundMe account to help pay the medical bills. The campaign had received donations from more than 100 people and raised $14,715, as of 6 p.m. Friday, Feb. 19. You can donate to the GoFundMe here: gofund.me/86a6a66c.
https://www.presstelegram.com/2021/02/2 ... -cambodia/

simon43 wrote: ↑Sat Feb 20, 2021 8:24 pm I wish him well,

BUT....

Yet again we have an expat who appears to not have any medical/medivac insurance, and has to rely on the charity of others when things 'go wrong'.

What is the matter with people? This guy is seemingly intelligent and educated, yet is willing to rely on good luck not to have an accident, and the charity of friends and strangers when things do go wrong. He seems to have lived in Cambodia for years, and had plenty of time to sort out insurance cover or a medical cash fund.

If you don't have the money, or don't have the insurance, don't go and live in a developing country with sub-standard medical facilities.

You already know the answer to this, as does everyone who likes to judge those who succumb to unfortunate circumstances while out here without adequate medical insurance. But let me explain anyhoo...

Medical insurance is either expensive, very expensive or too expensive, depending on your personal circumstances. For those that fall in the expensive or very expensive category, it's a bitter pill to swallow. For those that fall in the too expensive category, they're left with a difficult life choice. Follow their dreams and take a risk-it-for-a-biscuit attitude, or remain at home, getting more and more frustrated at life and allowing themselves to be slowly eaten away with the what-could-have-been's.

In some ways, moving to Cambodia without adequate medical insurance is similar to committing a serious crime. People commit serious crime because they don't think they'll get caught, and in terms of falling ill while abroad, that it won't happen to them. Only, moving to Cambodia without adequate medical insurance is not a crime.

It's easy to cock one's leg over their high horse and wave their judging finger at others when they fall on hard times without an adequate safety net, but we all know why it happens.

Let's not pretend we don't.

I don't know the guy but I wish him all the best.

I wonder how many of his lovely kind friends would have donated to his gofundme request to pay his medical insurance premiums every year if asked.