Mason Dees is my brother, and it feels unreal to talk about him in the past tense. He’s been driving 18 Wheelers and Dump Trucks since his late 20s, always full of life and love for his family and friends. Mason was the kind of person who would give you the shirt off his back or his last dime, and anyone who knew him knew that his phone and headset were like an extension of himself—always ready to chat, joke, and share a laugh.

We received the heartbreaking call on Friday, 1/2/26, that Mason had passed away in his truck at a rest area in Blackwall County, Oklahoma. We learned from the trucking company that he hadn’t worked there long enough to receive any benefits, which means we are now trying to get his belongings home from Oklahoma and take care of his final expenses. A nonprofit organization called Truckers Last Mile is helping us bring Mason home, but the local funeral home can’t do payment plans, so we’re facing a large bill because his benefits with the new company weren’t in effect yet.

We met with the funeral home yesterday , 1/6/26 to finalize arrangements and be ready for him when he gets here at the end of the week. The funds raised will help cover funeral expenses, retrieving his personal belongings from his rig. Anything that the insurance benefits would have taken care of will now fall to us, and we want to make sure Mason gets the homegoing he deserves. It’s still so hard to believe this is real—Mason was always full of stories about his travels, fellow truckers, and the craziness of life on the road. We will all miss his loving, wild heart. For me, it’s especially hard because I always knew I could call him and he’d come running. And yes, I’ve called his phone a few times, hoping he’d answer, even though I know he can’t. Thank you for anything you can give to help us honor Mason on his FINAL MILES home!!