Mutzie's Legacy

It is with great sadness that we inform you of the passing of Mutzie over the weekend.

He passed away unexpectedly due to a sudden heart related medical emergency.

We're heartbroken, but we know he's at peace now.

As many of you know, Mutzie was a deeply spiritual man, always rooted in his faith. He often spoke about death with peace, fully prepared and ready to meet Jesus. Living with my dad, I saw firsthand how he nurtured his relationship with God. Nearly every night, he would fall asleep listening to sermons, spending his final moments in conversation with God. His faith was unwavering, and he found comfort in his closeness with Jesus.

My dad was a true giver, a man whose generosity knew no bounds. For six years, he performed on Carnival Cruise Lines, and I was fortunate to accompany him often— enough to become a platinum member.

During his time on the ships, he started a program to give back to the people of Progreso, Mexico. We would use his CD money to buy pizzas and distribute them to schoolchildren, creating moments of joy that were truly special. Every guest that joined us could also feel the joy of giving and it was truly an awesome experience every time. But that was just one of many ways he gave back.

When he wasn't working on Carnival, he regularly donated all of his CD and DVD sales to those in need-whether it was providing Christmas presents for children, helping the homeless, or supporting shelters that fed the hungry. He loved making people happy and showing them how Jesus calls us to live - to love one another. He lived by the verse, 'He who does unto the least of these does unto me.'

Our dad went through his life with very little, not because he had to, but because he chose to give all that he had to others. He

would always say "I have money for my bills and food, that's all I need." He's been spiritually preparing for his death for most of his life, and these last few years he's been telling me specifics for his funeral, final wishes, etc. Unfortunately, he did not have a life insurance policy and knew he wouldn't be able to leave us much behind financially.

My sister Rachel and I have decided to set up a GoFundMe to help with funeral expenses and if there are any excess funds after the funeral is covered, we will be donating a portion of the funds to continue his tradition of blessing children with Christmas gifts this coming season. Christmas was his absolute favorite time of year. He'd often tell me, 'It's already July, Santa will be here in six months!' He loved giving gifts and paying it forward, so we want to keep that part of his legacy alive and use his life as an example for how we should live ours.

We are making funeral arrangements now and will post once plans are finalized. We ask that you keep our family in your prayers and respect our privacy during this time. I’ll close with something my dad would say at the end of every one of his shows: “Hey, my name’s Mutzie. I had a great time with you guys. Thanks for coming out. I hope God blesses everyone here. Thank you very much y’all.”