Wednesday, March 4, 2020, a day I will never forget. For years, Kelli had been going to different doctors with symptoms, such as changing bowel habit’s, extreme fatigue, bloating, and pain. For years they told him it was leaky gut syndrome, IBS, allergies, stress, or just “it’s all in your head”. Finally, after three years of not going, we pushed for a CT scan and immediately they sent him to the ER to get his appendix removed. Five days later we got the call. The call that no one ever wants, the call that changed our lives forever. My strong, outgoing, kind, loving, and otherwise healthy 49-year-old husband had cancer. Goblet cell adenocarcinoma of the appendix. From that point forward, everything was so unknown, uncertain, and frightening. However, one thing I did know, is that he would not fight this alone. Kelli, myself, and my stepson Jackson were a team. As a team we would fight this together!
        

  Kelli went through three HIPEC surgeries and an ostomy reversal surgery all after his initial appendix removal. Three of those surgeries were with Dr. Matthew Chung in Grand Rapids, Michigan and his last surgery was with Dr. David Bartlett in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania. He endured nine months of chemotherapy and two months of radiation, along with pain, the inability to eat, and fatigue. Through it all he not only kept working, but also took us on trips, maintained our land and businesses, and continued to be the best husband and father that one could ask for! His concern was never for himself, but always for me and Jack. Kelli fought so hard, remaining strong, and hopeful through it all, until he lost his battle on 11/15/23. Kelli said to me, before he went to be with Jesus “If you can tell my story and it saves just one person, then tell it to the world” and that’s what I intend to do.