My father, Stephen Francis Halas, was a kind and generous soul who dedicated over 40 years of his life to the aerospace industry, contributing to both the Apollo Missions and the Space Shuttle Program. After retiring in 2011, he cherished his time with his children, his two Cocker Spaniels, and his beautiful wife, who is currently on dialysis three days a week and is still going strong. But she has lost her loving husband, and that emptiness is taking its toll on her. My father was the heart of our family, with a fun sense of humor and always offering support and wisdom to those around him, which is why this loss hurts us so much.

On June 7, 2025, Dad suffered a stroke. While we had hoped for a successful recovery, his progress was tragically undermined by the medical group managing his care. My father was an incredibly strong man, hanging on for seven long months, yet the damage done to him by these people was irreversible. In the end, my father’s condition simply deteriorated, and on December 11, 2025, he passed away from sepsis caused by a Stage 4 pressure ulcer on his lower back. This heartbreak is compounded by the knowledge that his fate was preventable had he not been neglected.

Now, my family and I are determined to seek justice—not just for my father, but for all families who may face similar tragedies at the hands of incompetent medical professionals. We are raising funds to cover funerary and legal expenses as we pursue accountability for the people involved in my father’s death. Since his death was unexpected, he left Mom with some unresolved financial issues, and she shouldn’t have to be worrying about money right now. She needs to grieve, which is why we’re asking for your help. We deeply appreciate any support you can offer, whether it’s through a kind donation or by sharing our story.

And finally, we want to celebrate my father’s life. Stephen Halas was a good man who loved his family, adored his wife, and cherished those precious moments of quiet reflection when he looked back upon his life and realized he had done well for himself and the people he cared about. He was fascinated by nature and the Universe in general, which is why he worked for the Space Program to begin with. As a fan of science fiction, occasionally, he would even look to the stars and ask me “What’s out there?” Yet I suspect in his line of work, he already knew the answer. He would never admit it, but he wouldn’t deny it, either. I respected that. We are all made of stardust, and now he is up there with those stars. To my beloved Father, Godspeed.