Honor Philip by Supporting His Loving Family

Hello,

My name is Lois Clemente, and I have the honor of being Philip (Phil) Reid’s sister. If you had the privilege of knowing my brother, you would have seen a man whose loyalty knew no bounds, whose sarcasm was a language of love, and whose mischief kept us all on our toes. He was never one to gossip, always punctual, and absolutely adored his wife and kids.

Philip lived for being a father.

But life has a way of altering our plans, and becoming a widow at 40 was never part of Sam's journey when she married my brother and joined our family. As of 72 hours ago, it has become her heartbreaking reality. We feared this moment when Philip was diagnosed with Stage 4 adenoid cystic carcinoma in 2022, but nothing could prepare us for the pain it has brought.

Philip leaves behind a wife and four beautiful children: Tripp, Gabby, and Owen, who are stepping into adulthood, and little Ted, just 9 years old, who now faces childhood without his dad. They are incredible, remarkable human beings, shaped by Philip's kindness, his patience, his laughter, and his unconditional love. We will all strive to make sure Philip's spirit continues to guide his children, especially little Ted, who will need to hold onto every precious memory of his dad.

My heart aches the most for Sam, who has lost not just her husband but her best friend, her partner, and her biggest supporter for the past 16 years—and the one who made life a little brighter every day. Now, she must face the world as a single mother to a young child, a journey she never imagined.

To add to this immense pain, Sam lost her job when her department was laid off, and since then, she's been Philip’s full-time caregiver, pouring every ounce of strength into his fight.

They drove thousands of miles, pulled significantly from their savings, sold their investments, lived in Boston to take part in a clinical trial out of pocket, and put off countless home and car repairs all in an effort to cling to any chance that might keep Philip with them a little longer. But despite all their efforts, Philip took his final breath on Saturday, September 21, just moments after Sam left his side, as if to shield her from the pain of that goodbye.

Philip fought an unrelenting, ruthless disease for over two years. A cancer so rare there are no FDA-approved treatments for it. Adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) claims only 1% of all head and neck cancers, and yet it took everything from Philip. And his fight was even more desperate because of the NOTCH mutation, which further decreased his chances of survival.

Today, I come to you with a simple, heartfelt plea: let's help Sam rebuild, recover from the financial hardship of this battle, and prepare her for the road ahead as a single mother. Let’s honor Philip’s memory by helping to lift the burden from his family's shoulders.

We cannot take away their pain, but we can help ease their journey, even just a little. Any contribution you make will be a gift beyond measure, a tribute to a man who gave everything for his family.

Thank you for helping us honor Philip's life and legacy. Your kindness means more than words can say.

Sincerely,

Lois