Help Widow and Twin Toddlers

Writing my son's obituary is the single most difficult thing I've ever done. To put this man's 31 years of touching people's lives with his joy, humor, love, compassion, faith, singing and multitude of talents into a paragraph announcing his sad passing is impossible.

He was everyone's buddy. His wife was his best friend and love of his whole life. He adored her and their babies and did not want to leave them. He fought bravely for more than two years living with stage 4 terminal cancer and we know he received a hero’s welcome in paradise.

My son was working hard toward leaving a business for Kyoko and the boys to manage and be their source of income, but hadn't raised enough capital (no bank would lend to a cancer patient). His next fundraiser was to be in February and by summer they were launching their healthy lunch program for school children. The fundraiser called "Michael's Mission for Healthy Living" was going to be a family friendly catered afternoon with live music, vendors, silent auctions, prize giveaways, etc.

We are continuing to raise funds now to help Michael's family. The business is on hold right now. There are so many things to handle when a loved one dies. 

We can't thank everyone enough for all the kind love and support given over the past few years and since Michael's passing. It was a difficult Christmas and New Year's without him and we thank you for helping us through this.

Please join us for Michael's Celebration of Life at North Shore Christian Centre, 7:00 p.m. Jan. 22, 2016 on 1400 Sutherland Ave. (1 block east of Grand Boulevard) North Vancouver, BC. Refreshments will be served afterward at the same location.

You can also contact me directly through this site or email: [email redacted]

With love, it is an honor to be “Micheal’s Mom.”
 
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Note: this was the original fundraiser. Please read our recent updates since we started.  Chef Michael - working toward leaving a business for his family. (Video introducing his situation and  idea above and singing to his wife below.)

Michael, Kyoko and their twin baby boys recently visited us after receiving news that Michael’s cancer is terminal. Michael explained their idea to start a business preparing organic healthy lunches for school children (ages 3 to 17) whose parents want to make sure their children have healthy choices to help minimize chances of developing food related diseases. Michael says this is something that once off the ground, Kyoko and the boys can continue growing and provide for themselves once he passes.

Receiving a long distance phone call from your only child explaining that he was diagnosed with colon cancer metastasized into his liver and lungs is to say the least, indescribable. You reach for comforting words, holding out hope for all treatments to work, reminding him to have faith in God. You can’t believe this could be happening to him and his beautiful little family. He was just married three years ago to a woman he waited celibately 27 years to meet and they now have twin baby boys. Michael—known to his friends as Big Mike—is one of those children people go out of their way and approach you to say how much they love and admire him. He’s popular because all his life he is friendly with everyone and never excludes anyone especially including people with special needs and always outwardly shows kindness to strangers. My son is a better person than I could ever hope to be and through tears of helplessness daily ask, “Why is this happening to them?”

Our hopes that the colon surgery and chemotherapy would work were dashed after the colon cancer aggressively spread to Michael's entire liver.

Speaking to his doctor was heartbreaking. Dr. Davidson explained there is nothing modern science can do, suggesting he should enjoy his life and hope for a miracle. He also said if he were in the same position, he would have also chosen not to continue chemo, which hasn't been working and instead, choose quality of life.

The doctor just kept saying how terrible, horrible, sad and awful this is and how it’s so unusual at Michael's age. “He is terminal and although he looks healthy now, will begin to show frailty as the symptoms progress and will need more and more palliative care to make him comfortable,” said Dr. Davidson.

The happy side is Kyoko and Michael are in love and believing Michael is not finished his course on Earth and a miracle is definitely possible. 

A recent scan showed the cancer has not grown in more than six months, and the Doctor said if this continues to be the case; Michael could live much longer than anticipated while the cancer was spreading.

Prior to the diagnoses Michael was a chef in Vancouver and Kyoko has a degree in nutrition. They were both taking courses toward becoming school teachers. Now, they are beginning a business without funding preparing organic lunches for school children whose parents want to make sure their children have healthy choices to help minimize chances of developing diseases. 

Michael recently launched a website http://angelsfood.jimdo.com/about-us/
and Facebook page where he offers healthy recipes and informative articles on diet and nutrition. https://www.facebook.com/angelsfood1
He also has a YouTube site, please see below.