Calling all angels

I need to ask you a favor. Specifically, I am asking you for your help.

Recently I wrote about attending a memorial service in Temple, Texas. That service was for my friend's brother-in-law. In a few short weeks, he went from being on a family vacation in San Diego and complaining of back pain to being diagnosed with Stage IV Sarcoma and hospitalized. And his health and life rapidly deteriorated until the Cancer robbed him of his life on May 31st. He was only 38 years old. Mourning their husband and father are his wife and two young daughters, ages nine and five.

Martin had insurance. But even at 80% coverage, his widow is facing a mountain of debt from the six-week stay in the hospital, the doctors, the tests, the treatments.

Last Friday, we took my friend out to dinner to celebrate her birthday that had passed by barely noticed as the day was the day following Martin passing. During dinner, we listened to her concerns about her sister and what was she going to do with all this debt while suddenly being a single income family. A light bulb went off. We should have a fundraiser for her. Every person at that table jumped in and ideas were flying through the air so fast that the bev nap I was taking notes on quickly ran out of space. We picked a location and a date, we split tasks, and we each walked away from that night with two things: a commitment to the idea and a list of items to do.

One week later, what we have is Friends of the Martin Stevens Family: An Evening of Cause.

The evening is Saturday, July 11th, at the Hilton Medical Center Hotel here in Houston. If you live in Houston or the surrounding area, I hope to see you at this event. We'll have live music, a live auction, a silent auction, food and bar. One hundred percent of the proceeds go to Martin's family.

I've created a website to update you on details and the growing list of auction items. There is a link to that site at the top right side of this site. Donations can also be made through the PayPal button on the website.

Please, won't you donate or attend the event?

Also, please pass the site link to your friends and ask them to send to their friends. I'm asking for the power of friendship to be backed by the power of the internet so that, together, we can make a difference in the lives of this family. I know that, together, we can do it.

Thank you.