Mike O'Hara Funeral Expenses

On August 11, 2022 at 2:59 am, my father, Michael O’Hara, passed away after a brave yet grueling battle with stage 4 colon cancer. Diagnosed in 2019, he persisted through his first round of chemotherapy and eventually reached remission by 2020. He remained cancer free for that whole year. Unfortunately, in 2021, his cancer returned and took a more significant toll on his body. After a major surgery to remove a mass from his liver in June 2021, my dad started a long battle with infections. Especially due to his powerful chemotherapy compromising his immune system greatly, he became extremely susceptible to infections in his blood.

Soon, the tortuous cycle of chemotherapy, then infection, then ER visit, then hospital admission would begin. For a whole year, my dad was in and out of the hospital constantly, several times a month. His stays in the hospital ranged from days to over a month, trying several antibiotics and missing several rounds of chemo. Sometimes after being home for only a day, he would immediately need to go back due to fluid build-up around his lungs as a result of his infections and not being able to breathe.

He had a long fight with his cancer, which eventually spread to his lungs, further diminishing his quality of life. Ultimately, on his last hospital admission on July 22, it was decided that cancer treatment would no longer be a viable option for him due to the severity of his cancer and the nature of his infections. Thus, in line with his wishes, he began hospice at home shortly after.

Those who know us personally simply know how much of a light he was in our life. The best father, husband, brother, and friend. He was a social butterfly and a goofy guy. But he was also never afraid to speak his mind and help those in need. He was the kind of person who would give you the shirt off his back and more. He loved cooking for his family and making the favorite dishes of his children, nieces, and nephews. He loved cycling, and his biggest dream was to watch the Tour de France one day. He loved his family and was devoted entirely to God, his wife, and his children.

To me, my dad was the epitome of love. To me, my dad feels like home. Life was never easy for us, but he gave us the best he could. And truly, it was the best. All the struggles, heartaches, arguments, and bad times — we would do it all again if it meant our dad could be with us again. That was the kind of person he was. Selfless, loving, kind, generous, funny, weird, goofy, and everything in between.

The family Mike leaves behind is devastated and in need of great help. He has been without work for the past three years, previously having worked as an Uber driver. I, Gillian, his daughter, am currently a senior nursing student and recently quit my hospital job to take care of my dad. Our mom/ his wife, Nancy, works part-time at a grocery store bakery. His son, Jan, works full-time, not only supporting himself financially and living on his own, but also paying thousands to support the three of us.

From this fundraiser, $15,000 will go to Mike’s funeral expenses and cemetery plot. The remaining $10,000 will be used to support the family with rent, outstanding bills/ debts, and personal expenses.

Thank you for taking the time to read this and considering donating. Your generosity is much appreciated and will not go unnoticed.