Family of Mike Decker: Breezy, Garrett and Mikey

For those of us that knew Mike Decker, the events of this past weekend seem unreal. We didn’t see this coming and our hearts are completely shattered. It just goes to show that you never really know what is happening inside someone’s head and the pain that they keep hidden.

On April 7th, the world lost this amazing guy to mental illness. We didn’t see his pain and he didn’t ask for help. His wife Breezy (Brienna), son Garret, and daughter Mikey now need all the love and help possible to navigate the rough road ahead of them.

For those that knew Mike, you knew exactly what mattered most to him…. His family, being a firefighter, and the railroad…. Any time any of these subjects would come up, you could see him light up (picture kid in a candy shop kind of look).

Mike was always the guy everyone radiated to. The minute you met him, you knew you wanted him as a friend. He always had a witty comment ready to make you laugh, and if you ever needed anything, he was the first one in line to help. His need to help drove him to volunteer as a Firefighter, and he proudly served in the communities of Jesup and Grundy Center. He was always one of the first ones there on other people’s worst days, and that takes a special kind of person. The members of both departments that he served on will forever be family, and being a part of both departments was something that he was so proud of & passionate about.

For the last 10 years, Mike has worked for the railroad. He spent time with Iowa Northern Railroad and CN as a conductor and as a dispatch manager. He loved his job and some of the stories he would tell would have you rolling with laughter. Working a railroad job creates a special bond with the people you work with. It’s long and weird hours, lots of overnights & time away from home. But he loved it!

Mike’s family was his everything. For anyone that has ever met his wife Breezy, you would definitely agree that her nickname fits her; she is a force of nature! Breezy is the visionary & Mike was the doer…. Mike’s free time was spent making some kind of project come to life like a horse trailer renovation turned into a coffee trailer (Home Brew), or any number of home renovations! Breezy’s incredible faith has been a cornerstone in her life, and while there is no doubt that she is going to need every ounce of that faith & strength to navigate this road ahead of her, she is a strong woman with unwavering faith.

Mike & Breezy have two absolutely amazing kiddos. Their daughter Mikenna (Mikey) is 9 and is in 4th grade at Jesup Elementary. She is the perfect blend of Mike and Breezy; a spitfire with a huge heart. Mikey can normally be found creating a new work of art or dancing her cares away!

Garrett is 11 and is in 5th grade at Jesup Middle School. Garrett is one amazing kid. When Garrett was a baby he had a seizure after receiving routine immunizations that all kids receive. His little body just didn’t like something in those shots, and the long-term effects are most clearly labeled as epilepsy and autism but those labels are only half the story. He is so much more than his diagnosis. Garrett can normally be found playing with Hot Wheels or jumping on the trampoline. Due to Garret’s medical and physical needs, Breezy has devoted her days to caring for this special guy.

On the outside, Mike never let his struggles show. Not even the people closest to him knew how dark of a place he was in. Now we are all left with the should have, could have, and would haves…. But there are a few things we all can do….

- Be kind, you never know what battles someone is fighting.

- If you are struggling, ask for help. “They can’t rescue you if they don’t know you need it. Ask for help to fight another day.” — Unknown

- Be ready to help in whatever way you can. Sometimes all someone needs is a few moments of your time to know they matter. “This life. This night. Your story. Your pain. Your hope. It matters. All of it matters.” — Jamie Tworkowski

Breezy & the kids need all of the prayers and love you can possibly send their way. Due to Garrett’s medical needs, Breezy has not been working outside the home much for the past decade & they were a single-income family. Their world has been rocked and it would be amazing to give them a little financial peace of mind while they get their feet back under them. Community was so important to Mike: the fire community, the railroad community, and the power of any community can move mountains. If you are able to, let’s help this family move mountains!

If you would rather, feel free to donate to Farmers State Bank directly or through our venmo @jesupcommunitybetterment.

All dollars raised will be directly transferred to Breezy and her family through bank accounts within our organization, Jesup Community Betterment.

Jesup Community Betterment is a 501c3 organization built to help people in need, particularly in Jesup Iowa.