Taylor Bair Memorial Fund

It’s with heavy hearts and sadness to announce the passing of Taylor Monteray Bair on December 26th, 2022. He was 22 years old. He passed away fighting complications from pneumonia.

Taylor was born with a rare syndrome called Alagille syndrome. A very rare disease affecting the liver, heart, kidneys and lungs, leaving a person with a 1-in-4 prognosis of living beyond the age of 20 years. He had challenges in life, but he did not let that stop him; he thrived and was one of the most special individuals with a smile and laugh that lit up a room.

He was born in Gainesville, Florida, and after a 2-week battle to stay in this world he moved to Colorado with his loving mom Tiffany. For the first 8 years of his life, he fought and overcame liver and kidney symptoms. For the next 14 years, he fought to overcome an enlarged heart due to undersized arteries, going from his heart to his lungs. He was a fighter, a Jedi warrior who didn’t let this impede his life.

Taylor graduated from Elizabeth High School and started a career at Lockheed Martin Space. He thrived in the aerospace company, first working as a quality inspector and later as a test technician. He started college courses and dreamt of becoming an Engineer. He worked on countless spacecraft ranging from GPS to special programs, SPP, and finally on exploration missions to asteroids, the moon and Mars.

Taylor was a gifted guitar player. He loved death-metal music and played unbelievable guitar solos. He taught himself to play guitar in 6th grade, prior to taking any formal lessons. He loved to work on his car even when there was nothing wrong with it - changing oil and installing upgrades. He loved to skateboard no matter the spills or bruises he endured. He loved wheeling Jedi lightsabers in Walmart aisles or parking lots in front of his car. He loved to sleep often due to the countless late-night hours spent gaming, and hanging out with his friends online. He loved his friends dearly.

He is survived by his parents, Tiffany and Leroy Samuels, his sister Jada, brother Kingston, grandparents Emmy and Ed Volleberg and finally by his beloved cat Toad.

A celebration of life will be held on January 10, 2023, from 1-3 pm at the Olinger Funeral, Cremation & Cemetery - Highland at 10201 Grant Street, Thornton CO. Attendees are welcome to wear jeans, flannel, hoodies, and heavy metal T-shirts.

A public viewing will be held on January 9, 2023, from 3-6 pm at the Olinger Funeral, Cremation & Cemetery - Highland at 10201 Grant Street, Thornton CO.

Donations thru this gofundme will help to offset funeral costs. Any remaining proceeds will be donated in Taylor’s name to the Pediatric Heart Institute at Children’s Hospital Colorado Foundation (www.childrenscolorado.org/doctors-and-departments/departments/heart/about/) which has cared for him for the past 22 years. Thank you.