My name is Linda Dean, and with a shattered heart, I share that my beloved husband of 20 years passed away yesterday. Vince was more than my partner. He was my best friend, my rock, the kind of man who made everyone feel like family. I truly don’t know a single soul who met him and didn’t instantly love him. He had a way of making people feel seen, heard, and cared for without ever asking for anything in return.

Though my daughters were not biologically his, you never would have known it. He poured every ounce of love he had into them, and especially into our grandbabies. They were his whole world. Our 9-year-old grandson Da’Montay held an extra special place in his heart. Vince spent nearly every day with him, caring for him so that I could work. Their bond was full of joy, laughter, and unconditional love. Da’Montay has special needs, and Vince was his safe place. His absence is already felt in ways that words can’t truly capture.

Vince was a proud longshoreman, a hard worker through and through, until heart issues forced him to step away from the job he loved. Even then, he never complained. He just shifted all his energy into taking care of us. No matter how tired he was, or how much pain he might have been in, he never treated me with anything less than the love and gentleness of a man completely devoted to his wife. No matter what storms we faced, he made sure I always felt like a queen.

Early yesterday morning, a pipe burst in our home, flooding the house. Vince, being the protector he always was, woke up in the middle of the night to shut off the water main. It was in that moment of selflessness and care that he suffered a heart attack. He died doing what he always did, taking care of us.

We didn’t have life insurance, and now I’m facing funeral expenses I simply can’t afford on my own, along with a $1,000 deductible to repair the damage to our home. On top of that, I’ve had to enroll Da’Montay in overnight daycare so I can continue working to support us. Life changed in an instant, and I’m doing my best to hold everything together, but I need help.

Vince was deeply loved. Not just by me and our girls, but by his grandson, nieces, nephews, extended family, and every friend whose life he touched. He was the kind of man who left a mark on your soul. We all miss him more than words can say.

If you find it in your heart to support us during this painful time, it would mean the world. Every little bit helps ease the burden as we try to lay this beautiful man to rest and adjust to a world without him in it.

Thank you for reading, for caring, and for any support you’re able to give.

With love and gratitude,

Linda Dean