UPDATE:

At 5:49 p.m. on Saturday, February 21, 2026, Dennis Haven Brigham passed away peacefully, holding my hand, with his sister Audrey Brigham Thomas and his beloved sons Blake Brigham, Nicky Brigham and Alessandro Brigham gathered around him. He had just turned 61.

Our hearts and our lives are shattered, but we are so grateful that we got to love him for so long. Dennis Brigham gave so much of himself to others.

He believed with all his heart in the Rotary credo "Service Above Self" and he lived that motto daily, in everything he did. He had the most amazing work ethic and gave 100% in everything he did.

We so very much love and appreciate all our friends that have cared for us and given us love and support during this terrible time. You know who you are. Thank you! We will have a celebration of life for Dennis in the next few months - and it will live up to the Dennis Brigham style of celebration! We will let you know the details when we figure it out.

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This is the most difficult thing I've ever had to write. On New Year's Day, my best friend’s husband, Dennis Brigham, suffered a massive hemorrhagic stroke near his brainstem due to severely high blood pressure. He is only 60 years old. The stroke caused him to fall and hit his head, resulting in a brain bleed. When he arrived at the ER, Dennis was conscious and able to communicate, but the location of the bleed made surgery impossible. For the past 20 days, Dennis has been in the ICU at Norman Regional Hospital, fighting for his life. The ICU team has been nothing short of heroic, saving him multiple times when things looked dire. Dennis has endured being intubated twice and ultimately required a tracheostomy to protect his airway. Thankfully, he is now breathing well with oxygen assistance, and his blood pressure is under control. The nurses, physicians, and respiratory techs at Norman ICU have become like family to Dennis and his loved ones, providing exceptional care and support every step of the way.

Yesterday marked a significant milestone: Dennis was stable enough to be transferred to a Long Term Acute Care Hospital in OKC that specializes in stroke and brain injury rehabilitation. This facility will provide the intensive speech, physical, occupational, and neurological therapy Dennis needs to continue his recovery. However, the journey ahead is long and filled with challenges, both emotional and financial.

Dennis’s family is facing mounting medical bills, travel expenses, and the everyday costs of meals and groceries while they focus on his recovery. Your prayers and support will mean everything to them as they navigate this difficult road. Any contribution, no matter the size, will help ease their burden and allow them to focus on what matters most: Dennis’s healing and hope for the future.