Our beloved brother, Jae Thao (Michael), suffered a sudden brain aneurysm on July 22nd—just one day after celebrating his 39th birthday—which led to brain death. Despite every effort, his condition was not recoverable, and we said our final goodbyes on July 27th.

Jae was a loving brother, father, son, cousin, and friend—known for his kindness, humor, and love for life. He leaves behind his 15-year-old son, Otto; his loving girlfriend, Kat; and her daughter, Anita. He is also survived by his father and nine brothers and sisters, along with countless other loved ones whose lives he touched deeply.

For the past nine years, Jae lived with kidney failure and bravely underwent dialysis three times a week while waiting on the transplant list. Because of his medical condition, Jae was unable to obtain life insurance.

This was supposed to be his year—he was scheduled to receive a kidney and was so full of hope for a healthier life so he could always be there for Otto. Despite his own health struggles, Jae was the kind of person who always reached out to others in their times of need, offering support, encouragement, and love.

Jae was also a devoted believer in Shamanism and was destined to become a Shaman himself once he regained the strength to fulfill his calling. One of his greatest wishes was to have a full traditional Hmong funeral, ensuring that he could be properly sent off to begin his next journey. I promised him that I would do everything in my power to honor that wish.

While I would give anything to honor him fully on my own, I am humbly asking for help so that we can give him the beautiful farewell he wished for and truly deserves.

A Note About Fees:

GoFundMe takes out a small processing fee from every donation (2.9% + $0.30). If you would like 100% of your gift to go directly to Jae’s funeral fund, you may also donate through Zelle:

Zelle: (916)4613021

Please feel free to reach out to me directly if you have any questions or would like further updates.

Jae’s story does not end here—this is just the beginning of his next journey. This will be our last gift to him: to celebrate his life, to honor his memory, and to send him off surrounded by the love he gave so freely to all of us.

Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your love, prayers, and generosity. Your support means more to our family than words can ever express.