Mark Napier Final Expenses (Updated 07/08/25).

See Important Health Update:

07/08/25: Mark’s health has taken a turn for the worse. Over this past week and a half Mark was admitted to Norton’s Hospital in Louisville, KY for intestinal issues, weakness, and severe back pain.

Testing last week revealed Mark has a type of extremely aggressive lymphoma. I spoke with him Friday and his voice was very weak and having trouble breathing.

Now sadly, Mark’s cancer was revealed to have spread through his lymph nodes, his blood, bones, and lungs. He has complete respiratory failure and kidney failure. Mark has been put into a medically induced coma with a ventilator installed and is now in hospice care.

Mark’s life story is below but the goal has changed. Right now his prognosis is grim. Should God take Mark home his family will need donations for his final burial expenses. Any help you can give will make the situation easier on family.

Mark’s Story:

Mark Napier's life has been a testament to resilience in the face of adversity. After a severe knee injury forced him to leave the National Guard as a very young man, Mark continued to push forward, eventually getting married and starting a family in his lifelong hometown of Leitchfield, KY.

He often worked multiple jobs to provide for his family including in a cheese factory for years plus supplemented his modest salary by taking side jobs on local farms, often working long hours for low pay. His dedication to his community also prompted him to become a volunteer firefighter and EMT. He did his absolute best to provide for his wife Freda and their two children, Rosanna and Deanna. Mark's faith in God gave him the strength he needed to do whatever he had to do. He even occasionally preached at a local church for a period of years.

A Life Marked by Tragedy and Struggle

Mark's life took a turn for the worse when he suffered a debilitating back injury years ago which forced him onto disability. Being unable to work he went into depression. Out of depression he started gaining weight and over time found himself at a life-threatening 480 lbs.

And then in 2016 he suffered another even more devastating tragedy when his wife Freda was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and passed away within months after 30 years of marriage.

Mark was still reeling from the loss of Freda when just over a year later, yet another heartbreaking loss occurred when his youngest adult daughter, Deanna, was killed when she out walking and was hit by a car at the young age of 30. These losses sent Mark spiraling into an even deeper depression. A lot of people would simply give up but not Mark. Somehow through all that he managed to hold onto his faith in God.

Weight Gain and Loss Challenges

Mark thought he’d found happiness again when he met someone and remarried. He started a new life with hope and optimism that had been missing for quite a while. And with the renewed optimism he vowed to lose the weight and underwent intestinal bypass surgery, which unfortunately led to severe complications, including pernicious anemia. The surgery left him weakened and struggling to digest food properly causing him to lose weight drastically, shrinking to 180 pounds. This quick weight loss was not a sign of improved health but rather a result of malnutrition and related health issues. Not long after he lost all the weight his world came crashing down again when his new wife asked for a divorce leaving him out of a home with a meager disability check.

Current Challenges

Mark continued to struggle with his health. Because he wasn’t getting nutrition his doctors reversed his intestinal bypass so he could eat enough and get the nutrition he needs to sustain himself. But he still faces serious challenges including AFib, weakness, and chronic severe back pain. The stress of his recent divorce after five years of marriage has added to his burden.

Now, with only a $1,400 monthly disability check Mark was at a point where he couldn’t afford a typical apartment or house and was living in a tiny minivan struggling to make ends meet. The van is very cramped and the day to day luxuries we take for granted were a huge challenge for him. Plus his van payment, car insurance, and daily expenses made his financial life unsustainable, extremely stressful, and the living conditions were very detrimental to his health.

Goal: Let's Help Mark’s extended Family by donating to ease the financial burdens of his final expenses.