Hi Everyone,

I am making this fundraiser on behalf of my wonderful friends, Mercedes and Blaize, who just lost their dad on March 10th while he was traveling in South America. Stephen was dedicated to his country serving 23 years in the US Army and was courageously deployed 3 times. He was a friend to all, a son, a brother, and an incredible dad to Mercedes and Blaize. This is an incredible loss to many. I feel lucky to have known him.

Mercedes and Blaize have never asked for any favors and are only at this point because not only is losing someone unexpectedly devastating, but losing someone in a different country adds a layer of logistical heartbreak that no grieving family should have to navigate alone. They are looking at upwards of $20,000 in expenses between transportation home, memorial services and burial. The costs of bringing Stephen home from South America are substantial, and it would be incredibly helpful for Mercedes and Blaize to be helped financially to cover:

International repatriation costs because the process of bringing Stephen home is incredibly complex and very expensive. Once they get him home they will then face funeral and burial expenses so his family and friends can give him the farewell he deserves.

A message from Mercedes and Blaize:

"We write this with a heavy heart and our tail between our legs. We don't want to ask for help. This isn't a charity case or something we ever imagined we would have to navigate, but now it is. When our mom passed we didn't have to ask for help because our dad found a way to cover everything, no hesitation. Our pride was strong and his love was large. Now, everything is piling up and we don't see a light at the end of the tunnel. We've been firmly against this, but do not see any other way to give our dad the memorial he deserves. Our dad was a super human and gave his whole life to everything he was involved with. We want the opportunity to carry on his legacy. We will never be able to express our gratitude to the enormous amount of people whose lives he touched, but right now we need to take care of him just like he took care of all of us. He still had a long, adventurous life to live and he didn't mean to die. May his soul rest peacefully with God."

Every single dollar donated goes directly to these costs, allowing Mercedes and Blaize to focus on each other and honor their father who was larger than life, a dedicated veteran, and most importantly, a wonderful dad.