Allen Casler was my very dear friend. We met in roller derby where he was lovingly known to all as Napalm. In most recent years, he just wanted to be known as Allen, and it is during this time that I feel I really got to know the true Allen. We had drifted apart over the years since derby, but we talked a lot over the last 3 years, just after he was diagnosed with stage 4 colorectal cancer. (PS - please schedule your colonoscopy!!) I had just gone through breast cancer - surgery, chemo, immunotherapy - and he reached out to me for morale support, insights and just someone to talk to. I told him I would be here for him whenever he needed to talk. We became closer friends than ever and we talked nearly every day.

He was such a trooper! He was anxious and scared, but braver than he gave himself credit for. He worked as long as he could. He continued to kayak and ride his motorcycle, photographed graffiti on trains, wore a kilt in a wedding, shared a plethora of "dad jokes" and more. His dad took care of him after he was no longer able to do those things. The side effects from treatment became pretty rough for him. To this I could relate, but his situation was much worse and much more difficult than mine has been. I'm sure I didn't even know the half of it!

A couple days after Thanksgiving, I reached out to him to see how he was doing and if he had a good Thanksgiving. He didn't respond. In fact, just about 30 minutes later, I got a message from a mutual friend telling me that he had passed that morning. I was beyond shocked and devastated. My heart is forever broken, not just for my own loss, but for his many many other friends and especially his family. Most especially his dad, Dames.

No one should ever have to lose their child. No one can be prepared for that and all that comes with it. Funeral expenses are something most people struggle to afford, especially now. A bunch of Allen's friends had a message group leading up to the funeral, and we all wanted to help with this. We decided we would all bring a donation payable to the funeral home in the hopes we would cover a good amount of the cost, and if by some miracle we donated more than the total cost, they could refund the difference to Dames.

Well, there was some confusion on this that night and the funeral home did not accept most of the checks people brought because it had been paid in full already. Dames had paid it with a credit card. I do not know what the total amount charged was, but I can guess that it's going to be pretty tough to pay that off given the interest rate credit card companies charge. Hence, GoFundMe. I know a lot of you have said that you would contribute something to help out. There were a lot of people who loved Allen there at the funeral home that night. And a lot more who weren't able to make the trip. I know funds are tight with Christmas right around the corner, but if we could all please spare something to help out Allen's grieving father, I know he would appreciate your kindness very much. Every little bit will help! Thank you and bless you all!