Help Brian Molnar Fight Leukemia & Support His Family

Hello, my name is Brooks Vaughan, and I am organizing this GoFundMe for one of my closest friends, Brian Molnar.

Brian and I have been friends for many years and have worked side by side for most of that time. If you’ve ever met Brian, you know exactly the kind of man he is — kind-hearted, witty, funny, loyal, hardworking, and genuinely one of the best people you could hope to know. He appreciates life’s simple moments: a strong stove-brewed cup of coffee, a quiet midnight smoke on the beach after a gig, or finding peace somewhere between the land and sea in the Florida Keys.

Brian is also a highly respected musician throughout Florida. He has shared the stage with countless artists — from local upstarts to touring acts — and is a driving force behind the rhythm at a HayFire show. The number of musicians who trust, respect, and love Brian both on and off the stage is impossible to list. I invite anyone in our music community to share their “Brian Molnar story” — there are so many.

On January 2nd, Brian shared the following message with us:

“Hello everyone. I hope you all had a good New Year and holiday season. Mine was bittersweet. I’m thankful God let me spend Christmas with my family. I traveled to Georgia to see my son, but I was very sick and had been running a fever since December 12th. What I thought was pneumonia turned out to be much worse.

After being rushed to the hospital because I couldn’t breathe, doctors ran extensive tests and determined that I have leukemia. I was transferred to a hospital in Jacksonville where a bone marrow biopsy confirmed the diagnosis. The oncologist told me that without immediate chemotherapy, I may only have a couple of months.

My first treatment will require at least four weeks in the hospital. If I make it through that, doctors will decide what comes next. As painful as it is, I have to step away from the thing I love most and pray that I can one day return to it.”

As you can imagine, this news has been devastating. Brian’s wife, Amanda, and their children are still trying to process what this means for their family.

Brian has spent his life working hard — as a full-time musician for many years and previously as a maintenance manager at a nursing facility. After that position ended, he worked for Sam Ash until the company closed. He recently made the difficult decision to focus fully on music, which unfortunately left him with limited income and little to no health coverage. Brian is a saver and planner, but this diagnosis has quickly drained what he had set aside.

This GoFundMe is to help Amanda and their family cover everyday living expenses, medical bills, travel, and the many unexpected costs that come with a medical crisis of this magnitude.

Brian has given so much to so many — through music, friendship, and kindness. Now it’s our turn to give back. Please consider donating if you’re able, and sharing this campaign to help support Brian and his family during the fight of his life.

BTW he has been moved to HCA Florida North Hospital. Where he has started Chemotherapy and other aggressive treatment since Jan 7.

Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.