Festian Family Fund
Donation protected
As many of you know, the Festian family suffered a huge loss on October 19. Diane passed away after a very short yet extremely aggressive recurrence of her breast cancer. Diane was the loving mother of Amber and Adam, wife of Greg, and daughter/aunt/sister/friend to many others. This loss will be very difficult on all of those who love her.
Anyone who knows Greg knows that he is the guy who would walk around in a snowstorm wearing only his underwear after shedding the rest of his layers for anyone else who might be cold. He will literally give you the shirt off his back. Greg is always willing to share anything he may have to help others yet, as a man of great pride, he has a very difficult time accepting help from others. Through this latest bout with Diane’s illness, he has allowed his friends and family members to assist by starting a meal train. This was a big step for Greg and I truly think he only agreed because we promised him that it was really a gift to others. J
As you can imagine, the death of a spouse brings many challenges. Unfortunately, one of those challenges will be financial. They have lost Diane’s income as well as having medical bills and funeral expenses. Greg has needed to take many days off work and while his employer has been understanding and very flexible, this is still a hit to their checkbook. The kids will be getting social security but as you may know, this is not a quick process.
What we would like to do is answer the question that everybody asks in a time like this. The first thing people say or wonder is “What can I do?” Obviously kind words, prayers, continued communication long after the funeral, assistance with rides and meals are all important and much needed. For those that want to do more or something different from meals, you can make a donation. This money will go directly to Greg and his family to be used for bills and household expenses.
The other thing that I ask of each of you, whether you donate or not, is that you share this on your social media accounts. We all have a different circle of friends and if this is shared by each of us, we will reach so many more people. We aren’t asking for donations of thousands of dollars from each person, simply to give what you are able. Many small donations add up quickly. If 20 people share on their Facebook account and each of those people has 10 friends who donates $20, that is $4000 for the Festian family. Again, whether you are able to donate or not, please share!
Anyone who knows Greg knows that he is the guy who would walk around in a snowstorm wearing only his underwear after shedding the rest of his layers for anyone else who might be cold. He will literally give you the shirt off his back. Greg is always willing to share anything he may have to help others yet, as a man of great pride, he has a very difficult time accepting help from others. Through this latest bout with Diane’s illness, he has allowed his friends and family members to assist by starting a meal train. This was a big step for Greg and I truly think he only agreed because we promised him that it was really a gift to others. J
As you can imagine, the death of a spouse brings many challenges. Unfortunately, one of those challenges will be financial. They have lost Diane’s income as well as having medical bills and funeral expenses. Greg has needed to take many days off work and while his employer has been understanding and very flexible, this is still a hit to their checkbook. The kids will be getting social security but as you may know, this is not a quick process.
What we would like to do is answer the question that everybody asks in a time like this. The first thing people say or wonder is “What can I do?” Obviously kind words, prayers, continued communication long after the funeral, assistance with rides and meals are all important and much needed. For those that want to do more or something different from meals, you can make a donation. This money will go directly to Greg and his family to be used for bills and household expenses.
The other thing that I ask of each of you, whether you donate or not, is that you share this on your social media accounts. We all have a different circle of friends and if this is shared by each of us, we will reach so many more people. We aren’t asking for donations of thousands of dollars from each person, simply to give what you are able. Many small donations add up quickly. If 20 people share on their Facebook account and each of those people has 10 friends who donates $20, that is $4000 for the Festian family. Again, whether you are able to donate or not, please share!
Organizer and beneficiary
Stephanie Beightol Socha
Organizer
Plymouth, MI
Gregory Festian
Beneficiary
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