Peace for Richie

UPDATE: 7/8/23

Richie was admitted to the hospital this past week with pneumonia, extreme dehydration, and severely low platelets (9). He told the doctors, "Hit me with everything you got," and they did! After all was said and done, Richie beat the pneumonia and dehydration and received a platelet transfusion. He will now require weekly platelet transfusions at the hospital.

Along the way, Richie inspired each and every person he came in contact with, putting smiles on the nurses' faces and making them laugh throughout their 12-hour shifts. The entire x-ray team, who have taken care of him for the past 9 years, surprised him with a gift bag, card and balloon. They all agreed Richie is the nicest, most inspiring patient they've ever had.

Thank you all for your love and support. We are eternally grateful.

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Hi, my name is Stacey and I am setting up this campaign to raise funds that will go directly to Richie McPeak and his family in this extremely difficult time while he battles terminal sarcoma cancer and the floor in their home collapsing. Any donations are greatly appreciated and much needed.

In April 2014, Richie was diagnosed with leiomyosarcoma, a rare form of cancer. With his wife and three children by his side, Richie fought through 400 hours of chemotherapy, the removal and replacement with steel and titanium of his tibia, fibula, and knee; his calf cut in half and a piece sewn to his steel knee, two-thirds of his arteries and 90% of his tissue below his knee removed, and ten weeks of radiation. Yet, he continued to remain strong for his family and never gave up.

Four years later he and his family suffered the devastating loss of his oldest son and the heartbreak and immense sorrow were almost too much for them to bear. Day-to-day living was a struggle and fighting the darkness each day was more than most can imagine. But through their love for one another and their faith in God, they moved forward one day at a time.

In 2020 cancer returned with a vengeance. As cancer does, it ravaged his body and took his leg, but it could not take his spirit. In 2021 a piece of his lung was cut out. In 2022 he suffered through targeted radiation and harsh chemotherapy for tumors around his heart and pelvis. In 2023 he suffered through clinical trial chemo and 60 rounds of targeted radiation for tumors in his collarbone, spine, pelvis, skull and C4 vertebrae.

Richie continued to be a beacon of hope for his family, fighting relentlessly to not only beat cancer but to do his best to view every day as a gift from God. As he watched his younger son graduate from high school, he fought. As he watched his daughter graduate from high school, he fought. Each day, every day, he fought and he inspired. His formidable spirit and kind soul continue to move and encourage others to find the beauty in life, even in their darkest days. He has shared his daily struggles online to provide hope and inspiration to others, never asking for anything in return.

Devastatingly, tumors are now in most of Richie's spine, liver, kidneys, brain and too many of his bones to count. He has collapsed vertebrae, a broken collar bone, and a fractured shoulder from the tumors. Richie's doctors advised him they have done all they can do for him physically and the decision was made to stop all treatment.

Then, just as the family tried to accept this news, the bottom came out from under them all, both figuratively and literally. The floor in the family's living room and kitchen has collapsed, which has made most of their home uninhabitable. Of course, as any of us would who have paid all of our premiums for full coverage on our homes, they assumed their insurance would cover the repairs. Unfortunately, that was not the case. After fighting with their insurance company for over a year, the insurance company finally offered a minuscule fraction of the total cost to repair their house.

Ultimately, Richie made the difficult decision to accept the offer because he did not want his wife and his children to have to deal with fighting the insurance company when he passed. He wanted them to have peace. And, now due to the delay with the insurance company, the home's foundation is at risk. The photograph of the floor does not begin to show the extent of the damage; damage to a home in which a family lives while they are using every bit of their strength, energy, and faith to remain strong and help Richie walk through his final days with peace and dignity.

So that is why I have set up this campaign for Richie; to help provide him some peace and peace of mind as he faces his final days. Like many of us with loved ones, Richie wants nothing more than for his loved ones to be okay when he is no longer on this Earth. He does not want his family to continue to live in an unsafe home.

Please consider donating anything that will enable Richie to enjoy his remaining time, peacefully.