A serious illness known as Guillain-Barre Syndrome has kept the Cary resident down for so long. But his friends and family knew how important the golf tournament is to Pinney, a retired Delta Airlines employee. He had been organizing the event for nearly 30 years.

So — surprise — they held it anyway and decided to give some of the proceeds this year to Pinney and his wife Susan, who face an uncertain future dealing with medical bills, rehabilitation and care for Bob when he finally is able to come home.

Bob’s oldest son, Mark Pinney, said the idea to organize the tournament anyway came when his dad got sick. Mark thought, “We need to do it for him no matter what.”

The tournament, called the RDU Golf Classic, which benefits the Boys and Girls Home at Lake Waccamaw, was held this past weekend at Foxfire Resort and Golf Course in Southern Pines.

Bob and Susan didn’t find out about it until Saturday evening at the event’s awards dinner, when Susan was presented with a check from the tournament, called “Playing for Pinney” this year.

It was all caught on a Web camera that Bob viewed live from his hospital bed at WakeMed in Raleigh.

“Saturday night was very emotional,” said Diane Colyer, a family friend who was at the hospital with Bob. “When we finally got the right feed to the banquet and they saw his picture on their screen we could hear a big cheer from the crowd. I explained to Bob what was going on and he just cried and said, ‘I can’t believe they did this, wow!’ He said, “I am not going to sleep at all tonight!’ He was very overwhelmed.”

Mark Pinney said his dad should be able to finally come home at the end of the month. “His spirits are good,” he said.

Bob Pinney’s battle with a rare and serious medical condition has been harrowing for the entire family. Mark has been traveling regularly from Richmond, Va., to be with his dad.

Guillain-Barre, also known as GBS, is a disorder in which the body’s immune system attacks part of the peripheral nervous system. This can lead to nearly total paralysis, although most people eventually recover.

The disorder strikes about one in 100,000.

WakeMed doctors said Pinney’s case was the most severe one they had seen, Mark Pinney said.

Bob Pinney went from walking and talking one day to being hospitalized, put on a ventilator and then a tracheotomy, fighting for life. He can feed himself now but cannot walk and has little arm movement, Colyer said.

From the hospital Bob Pinney sent e-mails to participants saying he would be unable to hold the golf tournament.

Unbeknownst to Pinney, his family and friends planned it anyway.

The tournament started out years ago as a few friends — airline employees — getting together. At times there have been as many as 400 at the annual event. Some players fly in from out of state to play and help a good cause.

Over the years they’ve raised more than $150,000 for the home.

This year about 75 golfers played in the tournament. Mark said he received a great response to the letter he sent explaining his dad’s situation and that his family and friends wanted to give some of the proceeds to Bob this year.

“I haven’t had anybody question why we’re doing it,” Mark Pinney said. “They’re just helping a friend out.”

After all, Bob Pinney has helped so many through the years, his son said.

The executive director of the Boys and Girls Home was at the awards banquet Saturday, as was Everett Nichols, the founder of the Raleigh GBS chapter, who gave a talk about the disorder. The home received $500, and $700 went to the local GBS chapter and $2,500 went to the Pinneys.

Bob Pinney spent 38 years with Delta Airlines in Chicago and at Raleigh-Durham International Airport. He retired about seven years ago.

Mark said his dad is a huge Green Bay Packers fan who is not one to want attention.

“He’ll be shocked we’re doing this,” Mark Pinney said before the weekend.

Bob Pinney will have a long road to recovery when he leaves the hospital, but doctors expect a full recovery, Mark said.

Insurance has paid most of the hospital bills.

But Mark jokes with his dad that “I have a gas bill waiting for him.”

More details
There is a Web site with Bob Pinney’s story and progress. Visit caringbridge.org and type in “bobpinney.”