It is with a heavy heart, and a deep sense of sadness that I write this post for my close friend, Mario Silva. It’s difficult for me to comprehend, and even harder to accept, that at 45 years of age he is currently on hospice care, and at the tail end of a long and arduous battle with pancreatic cancer. After being diagnosed with this insidious disease back in September of 2022, he has outlived the initial 3 – 6 months that the oncologist estimated he had left by a very wide margin. During the vast majority of this time, Mario has remained incredibly positive, drawing inspiration from his close-knit family and his deep faith. Anyone who has been around him has witnessed something remarkable about his character, because while he has been humble and true, he has also been fierce, stoic, and unwavering in the face of this terrible affliction. He once told me that he believed the spirit of his forefathers, the ancient Inca warriors, had come to his aid and were coursing through his veins during this great time of need in an effort to give him a boost and lift him up higher.

His desire to fight, and to live has never been in question, as I attempted to illustrate above. Unfortunately, this disease has had other plans, which have remained outside of Mario’s control. One thing that he has desperately wanted, especially as certain realizations began to set in, is for his wife, Heather, and his two young daughters, Roslyn and Simone, to be able to remain in their home. He knows that this will be challenging with a mortgage still hanging in the balance. Although there is a modest death benefit afforded to them through his union membership with the Cement Masons & Plasterers, Local 528, there is not an actual life insurance policy waiting to cover such expenses. In addition, there are also significant medical bills that need to be paid as part of his patient responsibility.  The knowledge that his house could be paid off, and no longer be a pending issue for his beloved family, would at least provide him with some piece of mind and a measure of comfort.

So, with all of that being said, if you would like to do something truly impactful for a wonderful and deserving human being, please consider making a donation to this fund. This is such a worthy cause for a family in dire need of some grace, and financial assistance. I can tell you with absolute certainty that your generosity will be forever appreciated.