You know when something tragic and just plain unfair happens to a really good person and you’re left asking WHY? That’s where we are right now.

My big brother, Victor, went to the ER on Valentine’s Day with shortness of breath and arm pain. He was immediately hospitalized after doctors discovered a concerning mass in his right lung. It turned out to be an aggressive, high-grade neuroendocrine tumor—a rare and fast-growing type of lung cancer.

What the hell, right? WHY. He’s not a smoker. In fact, his doctors all agree he’s pretty damn healthy but he’s been a hard-working truck driver for over 20 years. That’s a lot of environmental exposure to fumes and diesel exhaust. With this diagnosis (and all the testing and chemo rounds that will follow) he’s unable to work so we’re adding a financial struggle on top of everything else. It sucks.

Victor has amazing kids, he’s young and he’s got a lot to live for. We’ve rushed him to UT Southwestern in Dallas and they have been fantastic in speeding things through. We’re trying to assemble things at lightning speed so Victor and family can stay in the Dallas area for numerous weeks. The 9-hour drive from El Paso to Dallas will just be unrealistic as he gets further into treatment. We’re applying for special patient housing and looking into all the resources with our wonderful nurse navigator. Alas, between insurance deductibles, co-pays, medications, housing, and lost income, the costs are adding up quickly as we focus on fighting this beast of a cancer. We also want to keep Vic as comfy as possible and think he deserves some simple little pleasures during this time. If you know Victor, you know he’s a foodie and we’ll try to keep things as palatable as possible as he goes through chemo.

If you’re able, please consider donating and/or sharing this page with others. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your love, prayers, and support. All funds will go directly towards Victor’s care and supporting him through this fight.