What does it mean to lose a dear friend? Someone you’ve known since you were a child in grade school. Someone you might have traded lunches with or goofed off on the playground at recess. What does it feel like not to hear them laugh or make jokes? What if it was someone you shared birthdays with or graduated and finished high school or even college? Someone you clinked glasses with at weddings and almost every special occasion? What if it's someone so close, it feels like he's your brother?

Two weeks ago, we lost our brother Bryan Moreno to Cancer. He was 41 years old.

Bryan's cancer started out as a growth on his dominant arm. His sense of humor and positive attitude intact, he called it "Bumpy" and soldiered on with his treatments. The Cancer kept coming back despite the radiation treatments, the chemotherapy, the painful surgeries, and multiple skin grafts.

He was diagnosed with leiomyosarcoma in 2013. Leiomyosarcoma, or LMS, is a type of rare cancer that grows in the smooth muscles. Smooth muscle tissue is found in the body's hollow organs, including the intestines, stomach, bladder, and blood vessels. Despite all of the struggle, unbearable pain, stress, mounting medical expenses, and what seemed like endless trips to the hospital, Bryan eventually lost his arm in 2017.

Bryan was not alone in all of this. In 2008, he met Sophia. She has been his greatest cheerleader and has been with him through it all. Sophia and Bryan made it home and became parents to three bullies names, Sumo, Stella, and now Emma. Sophia made sure that Bryan's Health came first and prioritized his wellness by ensuring he ate satisfying plant-based meals. She went with him to the hospital and stayed up with him through excruciating nights of pain. Her love kept him going.

She has been so strong, a rock of support when she needed to be, and a warm embrace for Bryan to fall asleep to. She has been his most loving, ever-patient partner, and she has become our sister.

We all met and grew up in a small private school in suburban Glendale, California and graduated in 1999 as a mostly close-knit group throughout the years and into adulthood. Just this past June, we came together in a bittersweet reunion and celebrated Bryan's 41st birthday. He would take his last breaths on the morning of July 18th and passed at 6:35 am as the sun rose for a new day.

As a family, we come together to mourn the loss of our brother and help our sister. We are hoping to raise $15,000 to cover funeral and burial expenses as well as other costs that may arise. Any donation will help and we sincerely appreciate all the love and prayers of support for Sophie and those close to Bryan. We hope we can honor his only request to be laid to rest next to his mom.

Thank you and God bless.