CHRIS VEGA…The Run of His Life!
Chris received the diagnosis no one expected nor could have imagined…Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia in the Fall of 2011. Chris was a senior and star long-distance runner on his high school track team. He knew he would have to run the race of his life! And he did just that!! But that race ended all to soon in September 2012 when he finished at the Gates of Heaven into the arms of God. Chris’s body could no longer fight the rejection of his stem cell transplant and his kidneys failed. His mom, dad and two younger brothers and entire extended family ushered him into the presence of God on that late September evening in 2012.
Although the family is devastated by this overwhelming loss, they have put their focus on helping others and giving back. Because of the help Here to Serve was able to provide the family, the Vega’s are supporting our work not only through personal donations but helping others by sharing our services with them as well as volunteering on our annual event committee. What did Here to Serve do to support this brave and enduring family? Here to Serve identified and organized people and organizations and wrapped the family with this community of support. This care community was able to help promote fundraising activities including a golf tournament to benefit Chris’s family, provide meals, laundry, transportation to sporting events for their other sons, prayer chains, and filled their last Christmas together with everything on their wish list, and so much more.
Here to Serve may not be able to change the outcome of a medical journey, but care, prayer, help and support brought this family through their worst nightmare with the strong desire to give back because of the outpouring of love and support they received. They counted their blessings…and Here to Serve was one of them! We are privileged and honored to have shared this emotionally-charged journey with the Vega family and our many other families like them.
“When our 17 year old son was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia, our world turned upside down. All of our attention went on doing whatever we could to help him. We were constantly at the hospital, yet we still had jobs, two younger children, pets, and a household to manage. This is where Here to Serve came in. They connected our community with us, so that we could get the help and support that we needed. This gave us the ability to let go of our day to day worries. Even though our son lost his battle a year later, Here to Serve stayed by our side, helping with support and keeping us connected with our community. We are grateful for the love, support, and help provided by Here to Serve.”
Anthony & Annie, Chris’s parents
Services Provided by Here to Serve:
- Home Needs Coordination
- Fundraising Assistance
- Resource Referral
- Family Updates
- Memorial Reception Support
Learn more about our Our Services.
