Aug. 27, 2026, 4:30 a.m. ET
Hospice patient Arthur Ferdinand with Nicole Golding. Arthur Ferdinand, 84, is spending his final days at home surrounded by racing memorabilia and favorite snacks, taking comfort in the hobbies and memories he has cherished throughout his life.
Stephen R. Powell, For USA TODAY
Hospice patient Arthur Ferdinand. A lifelong NASCAR fan and retired mechanic, Ferdinand visited 14 racetracks and spent two decades on the pit crew at Lancaster Motorplex, making motorsports a defining passion.
Stephen R. Powell, For USA TODAY
Hospice patient Arthur Ferdinand. Diagnosed with acute myeloblastic leukemia, Ferdinand entered home hospice after doctors gave him only months to live. Chemotherapy restored his sense of taste, allowing him to once again enjoy favorite treats.
Stephen R. Powell, For USA TODAY
Hospice patient Arthur Ferdinand and Nicole Golding. As he reflects on the end of his life, Ferdinand says he thinks about death every day and hopes for a peaceful passing in his sleep, though he knows that choice is beyond his control.
Stephen R. Powell, For USA TODAY
Kim Zydel, stepdaughter of Arthur Ferdinand speaking with Nicole Golding.
Stephen R. Powell, For USA TODAY
Kim Zydel, stepdaughter of Arthur Ferdinand. Ferdinand has acute myeloblastic leukemia, a fast-growing cancer of the blood and bone marrow. He knew something was wrong before he got the diagnosis. He was working in his yard with a weed whacker and became so exhausted after just 10 minutes that he had to sit down.
Stephen R. Powell, For USA TODAY
Nicole Golding walks with USA TODAY reporter Michael Collins leaving a home hospice visit.
Stephen R. Powell, For USA TODAY
Jeffrey Sturmer, spiritual care counselor.
Stephen R. Powell, For USA TODAY
Patricia Bullaro entered home hospice in June 2024 after a terminal pancreatic cancer diagnosis, hoping to spend her final days at home and leave behind a record of her life through a book she wrote.
Stephen R. Powell, For USA TODAY
Nicole Golding, left, and Patricia Bullaro. More than two years later, Bullaro is still in hospice care. Unable to walk, she spends her days playing Mahjong, coloring, and watching the world pass by from a hospital bed beside her living-room window.
Stephen R. Powell, For USA TODAY
Nicole Golding, left, and Patricia Bullaro. Despite serious health challenges and periods of medication-related delirium, Bullaro continues to defy expectations. “Every day I wake up, and it’s like, OK, I got another day,” she says.
Stephen R. Powell, For USA TODAY
Nicole Golding, director of provider operations
Stephen R. Powell, For USA TODAY
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