Dear NameExoWorlds Team,

Thank you for your kind and generous email.  I understand that my submission is a bit unorthodox; I applied because the timing seemed so serendipitous.  And if you could carve out a moment to read this email I’d really appreciate the opportunity to explain why.

My father was always drawn to aliens and outer space, and expressed that throughout his life in a particularly flamboyant fashion.  When I was a young child he used to go outside and try to call down aliens with his mind (to “take a trip” with them around the galaxy).  In doing so he became the primary influence that led me to pursue a career in astrophysics.  (Not all kids have a personal reason to worry about time dilation  🙂

He developed a story that essentially became a mythos with friends and family: that he was actually an extraterrestrial from a planet named Aarkon, visiting the Earth and observing humanity.  He had business cards printed that said “Tom Hicks, Extraterrestrial”.  He took a series of photos of himself wearing a tinfoil hat that he claimed would help him communicate with Aarkon, and a funny nose and glasses that he claimed allowed him to breathe in our atmosphere.  I helped him design a website that has the URL extraterrestrialvisitor.com where he displayed the artwork and essays that he created during his retirement.

In 2015 (at the age of 70) he successfully battled leukemia through a difficult period of chemo and a (pretty scary) bone marrow transplant.  This spring he began to endure a series of mysterious and debilitating ailments.  It took until the summer to identify his symptoms as a leukemia relapse.  His doctors could not offer much hope, and though he did try to keep fighting for our sakes, my dad suspected all along that he wasn’t going to win this battle.  He started to send messages to his grandkids and other loved ones letting them know that he would soon be returning to the planet Aarkon…

I received the NameExoWorlds email during that time, and filled out the application.  I knew we probably didn’t have a chance, but wouldn’t it be amazing and wonderful for my dad and all those who love him to know that he actually did have a planet to return to?  Give us all some irrational but precious hope that it wasn’t just a story, but that there was a true place in the universe where he (or at least his fantastical legend) could live on?

He went into the hospital on October 2nd with a blood infection and developed fungal pneumonia.  He was intubated, then extubated, and passed away from heart failure on October 19th.  Over a hundred people were invited to his memorial service, which was held in an art gallery.  People of all ages and walks of life attended; they knew him in different ways but all agreed that he was one of a kind.  

I’m attaching some photos of my dad in his tin foil hat, his “business” card, the last painting he finished before he died (entitled “Undercover Aliens”), and an essay I wrote in college 30 years ago about him (related to this topic and read at the memorial).  I’ve also attached links to a few short clips of him describing portions of his Aarkonian story, captured by a friend of ours who is a professional filmmaker.  

I understand that all of this is not exactly in keeping with the original design of the competition, but if you think there is any hope of designating one of the growing number of identified exoplanets as Aarkon (either through the contest or independent of it) I’m sure I could gather a pretty large number of people who would be supportive (some of them fellow astronomers).  Perhaps we could consider the memorial and/or website as outreach?  

Regardless of how things turn out, I deeply appreciate your kindness and (if you’ve made it this far) indulgence in reading our story.  Thank you again for reaching out, and I wish you many opportunities in this life to spend time with your loved ones.

Warmest wishes,

Amalia Hicks, Ph.D.