Dear Friends and Family,

Our dear friend Brian Cousineau has been facing some medical challenges over the past few months. Despite his strength and resilience, he has been in the hospital for the last 2 weeks, and he is scheduled for surgery tomorrow Tuesday, August 13, 2024.

After the procedure, Brian will spend a week in the hospital and then minimum two weeks in a rehabilitation facility before he can return home and continue to be in bed. Many of you know, Brian has his morning "routine ride" to Publix, Einstein Bagels or just enjoying the neighborhood to get out and see people and his friends. However, it's been challenging spending the majority of the last few months in bed with little time in the wheelchair. As you can imagine, it's emotionally challenging but physically, it's impacted his ability to maneuver his right hand the way he drives his wheelchair like before. He needs your friendship and support now more then ever as this is going to be a long process for him.

Thankfully, Brian now has live in help that will help make his recovery smoother that can assist with his daily and evening needs, but this also brings additional financial strain. That is why I am reaching out to you, his friends and family, to ask for support. Any contribution, no matter how small, will go a long way in helping Brian.

Additionally, PLEASE SAVE Saturday, November 2, 2024 at Temple Beth Emit 7:30pm for Brian's 2024 Annual Fundraiser. We know Brian looks forward to these yearly events BUT this year I really need everyone to PLEASE come together and share this GoFundMe, share the fundraiser event and anything extra you can give this year would be so incredibly appreciated and helpful. Let's have the largest turnout ever!!!

For those of you that don’t know his story here it is. 1988 was the year life changed for Brian. His doctors had discovered a cyst on his spinal cord which resulted in his first ever spinal cord surgery. A year and a half after this strenuous procedure, he finally learned how to walk again. In 1994, he was then diagnosed with testicular cancer. After overcoming this and becoming cancer free, he then had to get yet another spinal cord surgery which he walked into but sadly didn’t walk out of. He then chose to begin chemotherapy but halfway through chemotherapy, the cancer spread to his kidney and was then told by the doctors he had to start the chemotherapy process all over again. About a dozen surgeries later, we are here where Brian has spent over 2 decades in a wheelchair. We gather year after year to honor the one person who has the biggest heart of them all. We are often blinded by the truth behind the matter. We see Brian as a man who is forever positive, one who has the best to offer for the ones he truly loves. He doesn’t speak of the bad or the ugly, which is why his drive for fulfilling life is so strong.

This Gofundme is to help support his everyday medical needs. Thank you again for all your continued generosity and kindness. ❤️