Vietnam Veteran Donald T. Santo and I.

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Tiffanee Niitsu-Santo and 2 others are organizing this fundraiser.

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Hello everyone.

My name is Tiffanee Niitsu-Santo.

Vietnam Veteran Donald T. Santo "Santa " was my husband and he passed away at 10:15pm on Thursday, February 22nd. He would have been 78 years old on March 25th. He served in the Navy while enlisted in the Military. We had been married since October 31st 2012.

We Found out on December 1st of 2023, that he had bone cancer and it had metastasized throughout his body and he was kept in the Portland VA Hospital and then put in a rehabilitation facility for a brief time. The doctors did not know how long he had had this bone cancer and accompanying the bone cancer. He had various tumors in his back which caused a lot of pain. For the longest time he was able to walk without the assistance of his walking cane. But starting in 2022, he found the pain was increasing and he started to use crutches to walk. He had previously been diagnosed with Arthritis in different joints of his body and that's what we thought the pain was from. And as it turns out, the pain all along for many years had actually been this cancer spreading through his body.

A few nights ago, he started having serious gastrointestinal pains and was taken to the Portland VA Hospital. We were informed by the doctor that he was suffering gastrointestinal bleeding and he would be given a blood transfusion. We were also told that if the bleeding wasn't stopped, then they would have to seek other options. I got to speak with my husband on the phone for a good hour on Wednesday night, February 21st. Little did I know that would be the last actual conversation that I would get to have with my husband. I went to bed and I had missed a phone call from him around 8:30am. When I woke up, I had a message from the doctor that was in charge and she said that he had been asking for me and that it appeared that his time was near.

It is about a 45 minute drive to the hospital from where we live. When I got there, I realized that the part of his brain that functions the consciousness of the body had already shut down because he had the death rattle in his throat and the reason I knew all of this was because I have watched TV programs where it has shown people actively dying from cancer and other terminal illnesses and they are very educational and in this instance, helped me recognize right away that he was in fact, actively dying. Not once in my life have I ever witnessed an actual death in front of me. And I can say from this experience that it is very shocking to see someone you love slip away right in front of you, knowing the the hearing is the last thing to go before a person passes away and knowing that they can hear you speaking to them, but they cannot respond. I told him how much I loved him and I thanked him for everything that he is done for me while he was alive. And I thanked him for the things that he will do for me from the other side. It's because of him that I will have something to live for during the rest of my life because I am disabled and I cannot work. It's a very rough situation when a person must rely on the benefits of their spouse to get through life. And I am so grateful that even though he is gone in the physical form, he can still help me from the other side. He was in the Navy branch of the Military and served in Vietnam and had Agent Orange exposure and was 100% disabled. Even though he was 32 years older than me we got along so well and he had such a wonderful and funny personality. And I'm so glad that I have video clips, voicemails, text messages and Facebook messages from him that I can save. The other reason I set up the GoFundMe page is because I am asking people out there who would be willing to help donate funds as I need help to pay for my apartment rent, utility bill, phone bill and electric bill. I do plan to apply for housing assistance but that can take months or even years to get a housing voucher. I need help during this time that I have no assistance and a VA DIC claim for spousal benefits takes time. I am hoping kind-hearted people out there, epecially those who have or have had Veterans in their lives know the importance that these people served our country, no matter what time period it was that they served. All Veterans need to be honored and the best way for me to honor my husband is to be able to grant his wish to be cremated and have some of his ashes spread in the ocean because he loved the ocean so much.

I really wish that my husband could have lived to be 78 years old and shared our 12th Wedding Anniversary. The doctor did tell him back in January that he estimated a life expectancy of 6 to 12 months. My husband seemed to be doing pretty well until the gastrointestinal bleeding started.

I think many of us want to think that we are immortal and that our family members and our friends are also immortal and that they're never going to leave us. But that's just not the reality of it. I apologize that this is such a long story. But it's important that people know something special about the person that they are donating for.

After my husband passed away, he was cleaned up and put in a casket like box and it was covered with a Military style quilt with US flags and a final salute walk was conducted through the hall of the VA hospital and I was walking beside him while he was being rolled to the elevator.

I will always love and cherish him for the person that he was. And I am just grateful that he is now in peace. And he is no longer in pain because the pain was what he feared the most and he did not fear death itself.

Thank you for reading my story and I hope you will share it with others. Even if you cannot make a donation, it is very much appreciated that you took the time to read my story. There will not be a funeral service as he is just being cremated and his wishes will be granted otherwise. I also want to inform readers that the photo of my husband is from January 2024.

Thank you again. God Bless.

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