It's absolutely heartbreaking to write this- My father Ralph sadly lost his battle with cancer on Saturday, March 4, 2023. He was diagnosed with Prostate cancer back in 2017 & went into remission until it popped back up at the end of 2021. After starting a chemo pill, he was able to go without any more issues until a doctor started him on radiation treatments- 37 in total. They decided to be sure it was gone & gave him 2 more treatments. He finished them at the beginning of June & didn't have side effects until almost August. From mid August until just recently- he developed & lost an abscess on his colon, lost his appetite here & there, had terrible bowel issues, lost weight, lost blood, became severely dehydrated, had lots of nausea, & became extremely weak. He was unable to go back to working his favorite jobs at MSU & Lugnuts just to have some extra income. In January, he was told the cancer had started to spread throughout his body. He was given the choice in February of home care or hospital care but due to his condition, after a few days at home, he was admitted into the hospital. By this point he has had lost most of his ability to talk, his heart rate became rapid, & so did his breathing. Just a couple days before he passed, he couldn't talk anymore & was in and out of sleep. He began to decline more & my mom & I honored his wish to not let him suffer & take the comfort route. He slept mostly on the last day we were with him & his breathing & heart rate slowed thanks to the morphine. By the next morning as we were getting ready to head back up to see him, he peacefully slipped away.

He was married to my mom Myra for 41 years & loved her fiercely. She's 75, battled breast cancer, & had surgery for it just before she took care of my Dad & never once complained. Most of us understand the cost of battling a prolonged illness as well as the stress it inflicts on the family. Due to this, my mom could use the assistance to help cover medical expenses, burial costs, & to pay bills to keep their dream home they built together & raised us kids in. We politely ask for assistance with them if you are able to help alleviate the additional stress on her at this difficult time. 100% of your gift will go directly to her so that she can begin paying them off right away. We also ask that you keep the family in your prayers during this difficult time as we navigate the new “norm” & absence of one of the best fathers, husbands, & grandfathers.

We THANK YOU in advance for your generosity, kindness, & for showing your love to our Mom!