Help Us Honor Derek’s Legacy and Support Our Family

Yesterday, my family lost my brother Derek, and our lives will never be the same. Today, we honored him with his Honor Walk as he gave the gift of life through organ donation — a final act of love from someone who always had more to give. He fought harder than we ever could’ve imagined, and even after his body gave out, his heart didn’t stop giving.

My mom was with him every step of the way. She never left his side — holding his hand, comforting him, and fighting for him until the very end. She was there when his heart gave out, and she witnessed every heartbreaking moment. No mother should ever have to go through that.

My dad, who lives far away, dropped everything and traveled to be with us. He booked hotels near the hospital to make sure he could be close, supporting us through every sleepless night and difficult conversation. I couldn’t leave my mom there alone, so I stayed, too — through all of it. We did everything we could to make sure Derek knew he was loved every single second.

Now, we’re left with more than just grief. We’re facing overwhelming costs — memorial bills, travel expenses, cremation, and missed work. The financial weight of this is falling on my family, especially my mom. She’s already endured so much. She doesn’t need to carry this alone.

We’re asking for help to ease this burden, to give our family time to grieve and honor Derek’s memory without the weight the financial stress of losing a child. Any donation, big or small, makes a difference. And if you can’t donate, sharing this means the world to us.

Thank you for standing with us during this unbearable time. Your love, support, and kindness are giving us strength when we need it most.

And if you smoke — do me a favor. Smoke one for him. If you knew him you know, that’s what he would’ve wanted.