UPDATE 7/15/25

I’m writing today’s update with a heavy heart. I have some very sad news to share, and I wish I didn’t have to.  

Our beloved friend, brother, and Lo’s dear husband Jeff Kehoe passed away Sunday night from his ongoing illness. 

A MESSAGE FROM LO: 

My beloved husband Jeff passed away on Sunday night. I’m heartbroken and holding space for both the sorrow and the love we shared.  

I got to spend Sunday morning with Jeff. He was having significant pain on the left side of his chest. I laid hands on him, where the pain was, and caressed his back. There was a gentle rain outside his window and the birds were playing. I brought orange tulips for his windowsill. I stayed with him until he got sleepy and wanted to take a nap. I gave him a kiss and said I love you, I will see you tomorrow. He said, “I wish you could sleep here with me tonight”. I said, “Me too”. 

I got the call at 10:30pm that night that he was having respiratory distress, and they were sending him to the ER. 

He passed around 11:30pm Sunday July 13, 2025. 

I witnessed him fight with incredible strength. He fought so hard. 

I will miss my mate of 34 years immensely. He was hilarious, complicated, talented, an animal lover and advocate, and a good friend. I love him very much. Thank you for your prayers and, patience, and support during this time. Please keep us in your hearts. 

Dear God,

 

Wrap me in your quiet mercy today. Let each breath come, even if it is heavy. Let me cry, rest, remember, and simply be. 

Hold Jeff close in your arms now. Let him feel peace. Let him feel free. 

Help me walk through this day – just one small step at a time. And if I can’t walk, let me be carried. 

Amen 

WHERE WE ARE NOW: 

The assistance we have been able to provide through this process has been so incredibly helpful. Lo has been able to pay some bills and focus on Jeff’s care while keeping her head above water and relieving some of her fear. She wants me to express her DEEP GRATITUDE to all our community here. 

LO IS NOT FULLY OUT OF THE WOODS… 

The need has now shifted from ongoing care to paying hospital and rehabilitation center bills, and cremation and funeral expenses. 

Lo intends to hold a wake for Jeff, as that is the way he would have wanted us to grieve for him – with humor and revelry, like he brought to the world. More details will be forthcoming… 

Please consider giving or sharing again. Let’s rally around Lo and surround her with love and light for the final stage. 

THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH

Love to all, Elizabeth

 

HOW IT’S GOING NOW (July 5, 2025)…

Jeff continues to make progress while Lo continues to be by his side.

Jeff has made so much good progress, but until he can get mobile again through hard work with his therapists, there is still a long road to travel. Thanks to all of you and your care and generosity, we believe we can get there!

An update from Lo:

Lo visits Jeff for a couple of hours every day.

He's very tired and weak, but he has been working with physical, cognitive, and occupational therapies, and trying to participate in all of them. There have been some setbacks, from lack of strength and fear of not being able to reach his goals.

He has gone through so much physically and mentally with this illness and it has taken a toll on his overall health and spirit. We are proud of the strength that it took to survive this, and the strength that it takes to keep fighting. Much thanks and respect to the amazing doctors, surgeons, nurses, and other staff at the hospital and rehabilitation center.

Mostly, Jeff stays in good spirits. The wounds from the surgery are healing really well. He is getting stronger.

He tires easily after movement, but he needs movement! He's got his music, one of his favorite radios, gets all the stations! One of the nurses asked Lo what "that" was, pointing at the radio and she said, "That's a radio”. The nurse said. "Oh I've never seen one of those"! LOL

Jeff has his phone, which Lo purchased right when he was admitted but they don't have all contacts in yet.

Please feel free to call or text him! The more human connection he has during his healing the better.

Please email, call, or text Lo or me (you can contact me through GoFundMe) to share your contact information and/or any messages you have for them. He would love to hear from all of our incredible friends and loved ones!

All the while Lo’s strength has been inspiring to witness. She shows up every moment with her love and forgiveness and beautiful spirit. We should all be so fortunate to have Lo in our corner fighting for us when we are down. This has not come without profound emotional pain for her. I am humbled by her strength.

A message from Lo:

This journey has poked so many emotions, most of which I have addressed and continue to do. The other half I will continue to put up on a shelf for a rainy day.

Some things trigger huge realities, some require smaller bites to digest.

Fear, angst, deep love…

Fun, incredible memories of 34 years of marriage. Some good, some bad.

It always comes down to gratitude as I travel, wrestle, surf, or coast this life thing.

Ya, can't do it alone.

You need to be open to receive.

Being open to receive starts with Trust and Love.

Most importantly

To embrace one's vulnerability

AND, ASK for help

THANK YOU. Please share!

UPDATES NOW AND COMING SOON! 

Jeff is out of the hospital, in a rehab facility, and making improvements. We are gathering some details to share with all of you early next week. 

Please rest assured…THE ACCOUNT IS SET UP TO GO DIRECTLY TO LO AND JEFF

HUGE THANKS to all who have donated so far to help Lo and Jeff on this difficult journey. You have warmed all our hearts with your love and support. 

Lo Whipple and Jeff Kehoe have gone through some serious medical, health, weather, and financial troubles lately and they need our help.

I’m asking you to consider helping our community and friends! 

A little bit about Jeff and Lo…

No one can spread love, acceptance, beauty, humor, and community like Jeff Kehoe and Lo Whipple. Anyone who has been embraced by their open hearts and spirit knows they are very fortunate to know them.

Lo has a special gift of nurturing people as if they are her own family. It is beautiful to watch, and even more beautiful to feel. She is a bright light in this world. Even in her professional life, she spreads beauty, cheer, love, and togetherness as an exceptional florist.

Always giving back to the community, Lo got her name Lotanga while providing children’s programs on health and nutrition, and taught animation and did fun storytelling at local Austin Montessori schools.

Jeff has a HUGE, fun, friendly, gregarious personality and makes friends wherever he goes. Always quick with a joke or impression, he keeps the energy rolling with his humor.

He is an avid member of the nonprofit organization The Ian Fleming Foundation, which is dedicated to the study and preservation of Ian Fleming’s creative works, including James Bond novels, films, and media, providing scholarships and endowments through procuring, restoring, and preparing vehicles used in the 007 James Bond legacy. Jeff brings his fun personality and ingenuity to the group.

Jeff worked for the television show Austin City Limits for many years, since its conception, as well as KXAN, and Austin Kite Festival. He spent his spare time giving back to the community by visiting Dell Children’s Hospital dressed as Batman to entertain the children. He is a passionate animal lover and dog rescuer.

Jeff and Lo have lived in Austin for 34 years, have many lifelong and new friends, and have cemented themselves as vital and beloved members of our community.

AND NOW THEY NEED OUR HELP.

 

What happened…

Lo was diagnosed with breast cancer in November of 2024. She underwent a difficult treatment of a lumpectomy followed by radiation, and thankfully was in remission and cancer-free by March! Please remember to get your cancer screenings.

Jeff had never smoked a day in his life but has always suffered from bad allergies (Thanks, Austin!) and has had to use inhalers to control the symptoms. In April, Lo and Jeff began to notice Jeff getting weaker and his symptoms getting worse. In the early morning of May 5th, Jeff was not acting normal and having some cognitive issues. Lo called 911, and Jeff was put in ICU for 3 weeks until they felt he was well enough to recover and rehabilitate at home. Within 2 days at home, his health seriously declined, and he returned to ICU. He has now gone through multiple lung surgeries, had a collapsed lung, had to be intubated until his lungs started working on their own, and complicated sepsis pneumonia.

Jeff is no longer in ICU but has lost a lot of strength and needs to enter into a rehabilitation facility to regain his body strength and health. There has been progress, and he is trying his hardest to fight this unfortunate series of events.

On May 28th Austin experienced a storm we had never seen before. We found out afterwards it is called a “microburst”. It came almost out of nowhere and didn’t blow in, but came down from above with great force. 85 mph wings, heavy rains, and hail caused significant damage to Lo and Jeff’s property. The hail buildup was so heavy that when it melted, it flooded their home. Thank you to everyone who came out and helped Lo clear the damage and debris as much as possible. But it created an additional financial hardship.

Where we are now…

Mounting debilitating medical and rehabilitation bills have caused a great financial hardship on the Kehoe Whipple family. With Lo trying to stay by her husband’s side as much as possible, work for both of them, and lost wages from taking time off work, keeping up with incoming bills, mortgage, and skyrocketing property taxes, they are in danger of losing their home and could use some help keeping their heads above water.

I AM REACHING OUT TO YOU, OUR COMMUNITY, FOR HELP.

 

If you have ever had the pleasure of knowing Lo or Jeff, I hope you will consider donating whatever you can to help them stay on their feet during this difficult time. Anything will help.

Jeff and Lo need some angels right now, and that’s us.

I love you all,

Elizabeth K. Graves

 

Please spread the word and share!