Executive producer Tom Fontana has launched a GoFundMe page to help the Zahir Arif depicter in paying for his medical bills, and personally donates $10,000 to the campaign.
- Feb 3, 2021
AceShowbiz - "Oz" executive producer Tom Fontana has helped establish a crowdfunding campaign to raise money for Granville Adams' medical bills as he battles cancer.
Adams, known for his role as Zahir Arif in the TV drama, went public with his cancer diagnosis in December (20), and last week (ends January 29), his old colleagues launched a GoFundMe page to help him pay for his treatment.
In a message from Fontana and Adams' co-star Dean Winters, they wrote, "As many of you know, our friend and brother Granville Adams has been diagnosed with cancer. In only a few months, the medical bills have skyrocketed to astronomical levels."
"Not only does he have to battle this ruthless disease, but now he has to fend off the hospital bills the insurance company refuses to pay. In this quarter alone, the unpaid bills have piled up to $69,550."
"We want to gather together and show Granville our love by clearing this quarter's bills, giving Granville concrete support in his fight against this vicious disease," they continued.
"Since Granville hasn't been able to work for the past year, all the donations from this campaign will go directly to Granville and (wife) Christina's account to help them pay the onslaught of bills that have been piling up; medical, rent, utilities, etc."
Fontana himself has donated $10,000 (£7,300) to the campaign, which has already surpassed its goal of almost $70,000 (£51,000).
Adams starred as Zahir Arif on Oz which aired from 1997 to 2003. Prior to the HBO drama, he played recurring role of Officer Jeff Westby on the NBC series "Homicide: Life on the Street" from 1996 to 1999. He then reprised the character in a movie spin-off of the series titled "Homicide: The Movie".
