Dalley Family

December 2022

Meet the Dalley family. Brian was diagnosed with a rare and aggressive form of cancer called Spindle Cell Sarcoma in May of 2020. They removed the mass and seemed to think they had gotten it all with good margins but within 6 weeks it had come back to its original location and had spread to his incision site and lymph nodes. Brian and Kallie left their kids with family and went to the Mayo Clinic in Phoenix thinking this was their best shot. While they were there, Brian underwent 23 rounds of intense radiation. At this time they sent him for a PET scan and MRI to make sure everything was still on track for a complex surgery. The next morning Doctor T called and asked them to come in and talk to her. Kallie will never forget this day and the sadness Dr. T’s eyes radiated as she told them Brian’s cancer had spread and he was now considered terminal as there is no cure for his cancer. She gave him only 6 to 12 months to live.

Brian started his first round of the most aggressive chemo in October of 2020. They did two rounds and scanned and found the chemo was working. For two years treatments continued to work, Brian was able to maintain a quality of life that allowed their family to make precious memories and really live everyday as if it was their last.

In August of 2022 they found out Brian’s cancer was back and that he had a large tumor in front of his heart. Kallie can’t tell you why, but she knew this time Brian wouldn’t receive the miracle of more time. She would have moments where she would look at him and God would whisper “He is dying and I need you to know.” And every time, her heart would break as she knew the day she'd have to give him back would creep closer.

Over the next 3 months, Kallie and her kids watched as their dad slowly deteriorated in front of their eyes. They watched as he continued to fight to stay with them and they then watched on as he took his last and final breath. The Dalley's sent Brian home to heaven on November 7th, 2022 just as the setting sun was painting a beautiful sky.