Hello, my name is Jackie Spetter-Siler, and I was, and am, Tina Hoch's best friend. We lost Tina to cancer in December, 2022, after a hard fought battle. As many of you know, Tina was as stubborn as she was independent and humble. To take help, let alone ask for it, just was not in her DNA. Unfortunately, or fortunately, she passed this gene down to her only son, Dereke.

Family & Friends...Dereke and his family need our help.

What you may not know, is that while Tina was fighting for her life, Dereke was also in a critical stage of his life. On October 6, 2022, just over two months before Tina's passing, Dereke suffered a heart attack. The type is often called "The Widow Maker". While being treated, Dereke suffered a stroke that left him with nerve damage causing impairment to the left side of his body. With Tina not leaving his side, Dereke was able to get home.

As if this wasn't enough, just before Tina was admitted into the hospital for the final time, Dereke suffered two more minor heart attacks in the beginning of December, 2022, that led to him having 7 stents and a pacemaker/defibrillator implanted in his chest.

The day after Christmas, Tina passed away with Dereke by her side.

Since Tina's passing, Dereke's heart has just gotten more weak. In November 2023, they told him he would have roughly one year left and to begin planning for his family's future. Fast forward to today, he has been hospitalized an additional 8 times while his redaction rate continues to drop. Currently, the pacemaker in his chest has torn and another surgery is looming.

Despite the last year being the worst of his life, it has also been one of the best. Dereke became a grandfather for the first time and welcomed a beautiful grandson, DJ. He also has a wife, a daughter in the Navy, a son in high school, and a daughter that is a new mom at 18. He has so much to live for, but very little resources to do so. As you can imagine, raising a family, maintaining a home, medical expenses, and then supporting a grandchild is a very expensive endeavor when you are healthy and able to work. When you are not, it is financially impossible.

While I wish that I could literally wave a magic wand and make everything better, we all know that is not reality. We can, however, collectively help a family in need that is part of many of our families. Any amount you can donate will be used for medical expenses, house expenses, food, utilities, etc. and will be appreciated beyond measure. I love my Teener Beener so much and want her family to finally have some peace.