VanZant Family Tragedy
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Tragic, Unexpected Loss of 47 year-old Loving Father/Father-Figure to Six Kids
Life can change in the blink of an eye, our family sadly learned the hard way this week. At the start of this week, my sister and her children had a healthy, happy, strong, selfless and hardworking husband and father, Chris VanZant, who was best defined as a loyal husband, devoted father to four beautiful children of his own and provider of a loving home to two other young siblings in a time of need. By the end of the week? Devasting loss. Shock. Unimaginable sadness. Uncertainty. Questions. Fear. Rejoicing. These are some of the conflicting emotions that the selfless VanZant family are currently dealing with, and emotions none of us could have even imagined we would be going through if you asked us just one week ago. On October 9, Chris left us for Heaven, and his family here on Earth is left reeling—and needs your help with the significant financial burden they now face.
Chris and Cassandra’s Story – The Best Dad You Can Imagine
Chris was married to my sister, Cassandra, for nearly a quarter of a century. They were blessed with four beautiful children, the youngest of which is a miracle to have survived after being born at 23 weeks. Though she has required daily care as the result of her disabilities, Chris not only didn’t complain about working all day and caring for his children all night, but he considered himself blessed for the gift God bestowed him when he picked him to be their father. Fast forward many years, Chris and Cassandra made the decision to sacrifice and put desperate strangers’ needs above their own when they took into their own home a mother and her two young children, each of which have disabilities of their own. When the mother could not give her kids the care they needed, Chris and Cassandra arose to the challenge of taking on a parenting role to these precious, deserving children, and have been providing them a safe, devoted family environment ever since. Chris always put others first, had a quiet strength about him, and it’s hard to imagine this world without this calm, kind soul.
Medical Emergency Turned Catastrophic in Just Six Days’ Time
On Sunday, October 4, Chris, this loving father/father-figure of 6, and just 47-years old, suffered an acute pancreatitis seemingly out of nowhere. This is a man who never gets sick, is as strong as an ox and doesn’t complain even when he has every right to. His symptoms began quickly snowballing, and the family knew something was very wrong. An ambulance was called, and he was immediately sent to the hospital where things started to go from bad to worse very rapidly. While we will spare you of the sad details, Chris was the last person who ever deserved to be in any pain, but he was left fighting for his life in ways it is hard to fathom. Chris did all he could to stick around for his family, knowing he was their rock, but after a few days of being on life support, God decided to call him home on October 9, 2020. Chris is whole and perfect in Heaven, for which I am grateful, but those of us who loved and counted on him here on Earth are left with an unimaginable void that is hard to picture ever being filled.
Financial Crisis for the Family Left Behind
Chris was the sole financial provider for his family as my sister needs to be home full-time to care for three disabled children. Chris was their rock, their comic relief, the calm in the storm--everything I hope to be as a dad but sometimes fall short of. Chris was the best of us. He would want to know his family is well taken care of, but that’s simply not possible without the kindness of others. Can you spare $5 to help my sister and her children through the tough times ahead? Funds will be used for funeral expenses to give him the end of life celebration he deserves, and to help the family with the medical and care expenses for both Chris and their highly dependent loved ones. The need is great, and my family is humbling asking for you to consider helping if you feel led to do so and are in a position to help bless this family in their time of need. We’re hoping to help remove the financial burden they are faced with they can instead start the long healing process that is ahead.
If able to support them directly so as to give them maximum benefit with no processing fees, reach out to me, Nathan, via this post, and I will provide next steps for how to help.
Prayers Appreciated
If unable to support the VanZants financially during these hard times, we humbly ask that you to lift this altruistic family up in your prayers to help them get through the dark times ahead. They have done so much for so many, and now they need your help. Chris lived his life following the example Jesus gave us, and I will strive to live more like him to honor who he was and all he did for others in his short time here on Earth. We lost him too soon, but I know God will continue to use him in His Kingdom. Rest in peace, dear brother. You are home.
Life can change in the blink of an eye, our family sadly learned the hard way this week. At the start of this week, my sister and her children had a healthy, happy, strong, selfless and hardworking husband and father, Chris VanZant, who was best defined as a loyal husband, devoted father to four beautiful children of his own and provider of a loving home to two other young siblings in a time of need. By the end of the week? Devasting loss. Shock. Unimaginable sadness. Uncertainty. Questions. Fear. Rejoicing. These are some of the conflicting emotions that the selfless VanZant family are currently dealing with, and emotions none of us could have even imagined we would be going through if you asked us just one week ago. On October 9, Chris left us for Heaven, and his family here on Earth is left reeling—and needs your help with the significant financial burden they now face.
Chris and Cassandra’s Story – The Best Dad You Can Imagine
Chris was married to my sister, Cassandra, for nearly a quarter of a century. They were blessed with four beautiful children, the youngest of which is a miracle to have survived after being born at 23 weeks. Though she has required daily care as the result of her disabilities, Chris not only didn’t complain about working all day and caring for his children all night, but he considered himself blessed for the gift God bestowed him when he picked him to be their father. Fast forward many years, Chris and Cassandra made the decision to sacrifice and put desperate strangers’ needs above their own when they took into their own home a mother and her two young children, each of which have disabilities of their own. When the mother could not give her kids the care they needed, Chris and Cassandra arose to the challenge of taking on a parenting role to these precious, deserving children, and have been providing them a safe, devoted family environment ever since. Chris always put others first, had a quiet strength about him, and it’s hard to imagine this world without this calm, kind soul.
Medical Emergency Turned Catastrophic in Just Six Days’ Time
On Sunday, October 4, Chris, this loving father/father-figure of 6, and just 47-years old, suffered an acute pancreatitis seemingly out of nowhere. This is a man who never gets sick, is as strong as an ox and doesn’t complain even when he has every right to. His symptoms began quickly snowballing, and the family knew something was very wrong. An ambulance was called, and he was immediately sent to the hospital where things started to go from bad to worse very rapidly. While we will spare you of the sad details, Chris was the last person who ever deserved to be in any pain, but he was left fighting for his life in ways it is hard to fathom. Chris did all he could to stick around for his family, knowing he was their rock, but after a few days of being on life support, God decided to call him home on October 9, 2020. Chris is whole and perfect in Heaven, for which I am grateful, but those of us who loved and counted on him here on Earth are left with an unimaginable void that is hard to picture ever being filled.
Financial Crisis for the Family Left Behind
Chris was the sole financial provider for his family as my sister needs to be home full-time to care for three disabled children. Chris was their rock, their comic relief, the calm in the storm--everything I hope to be as a dad but sometimes fall short of. Chris was the best of us. He would want to know his family is well taken care of, but that’s simply not possible without the kindness of others. Can you spare $5 to help my sister and her children through the tough times ahead? Funds will be used for funeral expenses to give him the end of life celebration he deserves, and to help the family with the medical and care expenses for both Chris and their highly dependent loved ones. The need is great, and my family is humbling asking for you to consider helping if you feel led to do so and are in a position to help bless this family in their time of need. We’re hoping to help remove the financial burden they are faced with they can instead start the long healing process that is ahead.
If able to support them directly so as to give them maximum benefit with no processing fees, reach out to me, Nathan, via this post, and I will provide next steps for how to help.
Prayers Appreciated
If unable to support the VanZants financially during these hard times, we humbly ask that you to lift this altruistic family up in your prayers to help them get through the dark times ahead. They have done so much for so many, and now they need your help. Chris lived his life following the example Jesus gave us, and I will strive to live more like him to honor who he was and all he did for others in his short time here on Earth. We lost him too soon, but I know God will continue to use him in His Kingdom. Rest in peace, dear brother. You are home.
Organizer
Rachel Gambol
Organizer
Boyette, FL