This is so hard... My brother, Joseph Planutis, is beloved by many. Always quick with a smile, he could start conversations with total strangers and end as friends so easily. I always hear, "I just love Joe!" when people find out that he is my brother, which fills me with such pride. He is also a caring, nurturing father to Julia and "Little Joe," who he has shown a love of nature and the outdoors to. He's an uncle to my Sara, and she adores him for his silly, wicked sense of humor! Brother-in-law to Mike, they would enjoy endless conversation about just about anything and everything. Our "Family Historian," he remembers all the little things from 40 years ago, can tell stories of Hazleton history long, long forgotten. His friends just know that Joe will be there for them, whatever he can do for them, he will. They also are a part of the "extended family." Employed at McAdoo/Kelayres Elementary-Middle School, he found a job in which he LOVED going to work each day, seeing the staff and children there, whose lives he touched. "Mr. Joe" was so happy seeing all the kids there each day!

On Sunday, September 28th, my brother was in a terrible accident. He was flown to LVH-Cedar Crest for emergency surgery and has been hospitalized since. Unfortunately, he was found to have a traumatic brain injury from which he will not recover. We, as a family, feel shattered and devastated, having lost both mine and Joe's mom and sister last year. The burden of saying, "Goodbye," to Joe just seems too much to bear.

We are asking you all to embrace Joe as we have all of our lives by helping with paying for his funeral and other related costs. He was not eligible for life insurance through employment. The burden of losing him is just compounded by the not-knowing how we are going to pay for the burial he so richly deserves. He is a man of faith, who showed kindness to all he met. Please help us say "Goodbye" to this man we will all miss so much. Thank you.