im very sorry to read this... my mom will have a surgery tomorrow, and im worried, cause i had some bad feelings towards it, so i think i know how you feel...
anyway, try to be with him as soon you can. even if you have to spend money. remember, no money in this world can bring him back if he dies, so, stay with him regardless money, and im sure later you will be glad for doing this.
my best wishes for you and him.

PS. Traveling by car is somewhat tiresome, but not impossible. My family used to come here where my grandparents (and now me too) live, and was 14-15 hours of drive. Hard, but definitively not impossible. Good luck! :thumbsup: