Thank you for visiting our GoFundMe page. If you are here, you probably know or have heard of the story of Mark Dacumos and Jennifer Holcombe. If you haven't, we have shared some beautiful words from Mark below. In light of this tragedy, we want to surround this human being with light, hope, and the healing power of rock 'n roll music. We have all known deep moments with Jacket. Transcendent moments. Moments that rip your chest wide open and reveal the holy terror of life. But we have also known those precious moments that highlight the sweetness of life, its tender promises, and its hopes for a brighter tomorrow. That soul connection is what bonds us all, and makes us family. And when one member of the family is hurting, I think we all feel the call to step up and help.

 

So here is what we are thinking:

We want to send Mark and a guest to OBH. We would cover the cost of a room and the flight. There are a lot of ways to help...ideas,        donations, OBH love, words and acts of support.  Any ways or means that you have the space or resources to share are so greatly              appreciated. 

 

Thank you for your interest in this project. You being here shows that you care, and that counts for so much.

 

We Are, and Always Will Remain, One Big Family.

 

 

Hi Family,

I want to share with you a short story. On May 13th, 2019, I received a phone call from the Love of My Life, my college crush from 1992, Jennifer Holcombe.

The story of how we kept “missing" each other, separated either by distance or circumstance, but keeping each other in our heart for 3 decades is epic. To shorten it, like many star crossed loves, she made a mistake in 2008, and I had to tell her goodbye in not so nice a way for what I thought would be forever. Over the next 10 years, I tried to fill the gap she left, but I never found that person who even came close to her.

So when she called me out of the blue in 2019, I was intrigued.

Not recognizing the number, I had let it go to voicemail.

When I heard it was her, I couldn’t believe it. Her musical voice still had this captivating effect on me; she was a siren, and I could not escape.

She asked if we could talk, and I called her immediately. After some awkward hellos, she asked if we could get together some time. I told her, “Well it just so happens I have two tickets to Lord Huron at Red Rocks tomorrow night.”

Fate had stepped in. She accepted.

Like many a couple, Red Rocks was our church, our haven, our place where we had nothing but love for each other and our mutual love for live music. Going back to it after not having seen each other for over 10 years was incredibly surreal.

Yes, we were older.

Yes, time had taken its toll.

But, YES, she had that same crescent moon smile!

YES, she had those same dancing eyes!

And, YES, she was still the most beautiful woman I have ever laid eyes on!

But she still had one thing to do if I was ever going to forgive her…

We were enjoying Lord Huron, and I was guiding her through it because she didn’t know them at all, but she totally loved them and appreciated me telling her the names of songs and which ones I liked. We didn’t miss a beat after 10 years.

Halfway through “Ends of the Earth”, she grabbed me and turned me to face her. Tears in her eyes, she pleaded to me, “Mark, I am so sorry for how I treated you in the past. I am SO SO sorry. Please forgive me.”

I said, “Shut up, I’m trying to listen to this song!”

TOTALLY KIDDING!

I said sincerely, “Thank you, Jennifer. I needed to hear that. Of course, I forgive you!”

And through both of us slobbering on ourselves, we kissed during one of the “ooo…ooo...ooo”s. Every time I hear it, I’m there in that moment of forgiveness and realizing dreams were FINALLY coming true. I am going to be with the woman I have loved for almost 30 years!!!

We had spent every night together since then. We were married June 30th, 2020 in Avon, Colorado. Unfortunately, My Baby passed away June 27th, 2021.

I just wanted to share because I had heard some negatives about Lord Huron, and I just can’t fathom it. I know “to each his/her own”, or “they’re not ‘rockin’”, but hating “Ends of the Earth” is like hating “Golden.”

I’m not going to be at OBH5, so can you all do me a favor? I’ve been trying to think of a way to memorialize Jennifer. Maybe, can each of you light a candle for Jennifer during “Ends of the Earth” at OBH5? And someone take a video of it? I know that is a HUGE thing to ask, but well…as my good friend Floyd always says… “Asking is for free.”

Hold on to the one you love, and tell them you love them, because you never know when you won’t be able to ever again.

“I'm on a river that winds on forever

Follow 'til I get where I'm goin'…

Maybe I'm headin' to die but I'm still gonna try,

I guess I'm goin' alone”

And the "Ends of the Earth" video is... just... PERFECT!

 

 

 

At our first Red Rocks show together, Widespread Panic, June 24, 2000.