A Bay Area woman is fearing for her father's life, worried the 74-year-old cancer survivor will not survive 350 lashes in a Saudi Arabia jail.
Former oil-industry worker Karl Andree served a year in prison after being caught with homemade wine. The British citizen also faces a public flogging.
Andree's daughter, Kristen Piroth of Albany, is crying out for help and pushing a media campaign to save her father. So England's SunNation newspaper and Kirsten's brother Simon Andree, cried out for help, putting a petition on Change.org. As of late Wednesday, the petition received more than 180,000 signatures as of late Wednesday.
Piroth has ignited a media firestorm in parts of Europe by sharing her father's plight with the press. There were even reports late Wednesday that Andree will be spared the whip.
British Prime Minister David Cameron has also stepped in to help prevent the lashing.
"It ended in David Cameron writing a letter to Saudi officials to seek clemency for my dad," Piroth said.
Piroth said while her father has been in jail, his wife's dementia has worsened to the point where she will not recognize him when he returns to England.
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Still, Piroth is grateful for the support she has received.
"I would like to thank everyone for supporting my dad and I'm still hoping that he will be home soon," Piroth said.
Calls to the British and Saudi consulates for comment were not returned late Wednesday.
