Assist Brian Morris' Family in Their Time of Need

Hello, my name is Dakota Morris, one of Brian Morris' children. I am coming here on behalf of our family to ask for some help with medical bills and, in the near future, help to pay for our Dad's funeral arrangements. All of the proceeds will go directly to my grandparents (my Dad's parents). Over the last year, they have taken care of him and all of his financial needs since he hasn't been able to work since May. We wanted to do this sooner, but my Dad has never been one to ask for any help.

If you know my Dad, you know that he isn't without his flaws, but he is also one to go out of his way to help someone in need. I have heard countless stories from so many people about him helping them when they've been in a time of need. I've even been told stories of him literally giving people the shirt off his back. Now, the time has come where it is him who needs the help.

At the end of March, my Dad was diagnosed with a high-grade Glioblastoma, which is one of the most aggressive brain cancers there is. We were told that he likely had around a year to live. As you can imagine, we were absolutely devastated.

Brian has struggled with addiction and his own personal battles all of his life. On November 7, 2022, he made the courageous decision to turn his life around completely and give up alcohol. All of us were so incredibly proud of him. He has been sober from alcohol since then, which has allowed him to be the happy, caring, big-hearted man that everyone knows he is! In those two years, he has mended so many relationships that may have taken a hit when he was drinking. He even started his own concrete business and was becoming very successful with it! That was all until this horrible disease took over his mind and body.

The months following the diagnosis, my grandparents took him to countless appointments in Rochester, at the Mayo Clinic. He spent the first month in the Mayo Clinic where they treated the cancer with a powerful round of radiation and chemotherapy. Even with the treatments, we could see the changes progressing immediately. He started losing movement on the right side of his body. His arm, leg, and even his face started losing the ability to function properly. His communication skills started to decline as well. In May, it started to get bad enough to the point where he was unable to work, and if you know my Dad, you know that he was not a fan of not being able to work. Little did we know, that was just the beginning.

Over the summer, all of those symptoms got progressively worse every day in a devastating fashion. Originally, the treatments seemed to slow down the tumor's growth, but unfortunately, that didn't last long. The original tumor on the left side continued to grow, and there was a new growth on the left and now the right side of his brain.

Fast forward to October 11th, his last appointment at the Mayo Clinic. We met with his team of specialists. The original tumor on the left side had grown, the new tumor had stayed the same, and the tumor on the right side had grown. They said that if he wanted, they had one more very strong round of chemotherapy that he could do, but they advised that the cancer would continue to grow regardless of the treatment and he would feel even worse because of the chemo. My Dad made the decision, with the advice from the specialists, to stop all treatments and live out the time that he has left on this earth.

Over the last two months, his overall health has significantly declined. It has gotten to the point where we had to make the extremely difficult decision to get him admitted to a home and he is on hospice. It has been incredibly hard, but it is the safest place for him in the state he's in. We try to surround him with as much love as we possibly can and try to bring as much joy to him as possible. We are now trying to prepare everything for when his time to leave this world has come.

I know this year, there have been many trials and tribulations in everybody's lives. I would never ask anyone to overextend themselves, so please don't feel inclined to donate if you are unable. We appreciate every single kind word, prayer, good vibes, and every penny that is sent our way. Thank you all for being so kind to us and showing our Dad, along with us, so much love through this tough time. We love and appreciate you all!