Medleys Helps Fulfill
Mans Last Wish
(This event was featured on the WGN 9PM News Saturday, April 23,
2005 during the "Unsung Heroes" segment and repeated
again during the WGN Morning News April 25 & 26)
Link to WGN Info
Unsung Hero's Page
Medleys In Motion Mobile Disc Jockey Service of
Grayslake donated
time, talent and resources on April 9, 2005 to help fulfill 43-year
old cancer
patient Bryan Arnesens last wish. Bryan was diagnosed with
synovial sarcoma, a cancerous tumor of the tissue around his joints.
His doctors have given him only a few months to live.
Bryan's last request is to renew his wedding vows
with his high school sweetheart Cindy and have a reception to follow
with their six children, friends and family in the Chicago area.
"I read about Bryan's journey in the Daily Herald
and found myself in tears by the end of the
story. I found myself thinking what could I do to help and
realized sharing of our time and talent might be the best
opportunity," says Gregory Koeppen, Owner of Medleys In Motion.
Koeppen contacted the Fairygodmother Wish
Foundation and was put in contact with Strike At Cancer the agency
coordinating the reception.
"After several emails and phone calls, the Strike
At Cancer Foundation gladly accepted our proposal to provide free
services to this truly remarkable family. I was elated," said
Koeppen.
Medleys In Motion provided the sound and entertainment for
the reception at Monty's Elegant Banquets in Bensenville with over 150
invited guests. Monty's also donated the food and room for
the night.
"When I started Medleys In Motion back in 1996 my
goal was to make people smile a little more, laugh a little harder,
have fun and for a few hours and forget about everyday life. I
truly think we accomplished that on April 9th for Bryan and Cindy. I wanted
this to be the best ever and for them, I hope it truly was," says Koeppen.
One Special
Wish, One
Giving
Community, a
Dream Come
True
Bryan Arneson
has cancer. He
was diagnosed
with a rare soft
tissue sarcoma
four years ago,
soon after
reconnecting
with his
soulmate, Cindy.
They'd been
sweethearts as
kids, but lost
touch after high
school and both
married and had
children, 3
daughters each.
Years later,
after both were
divorced, Bryan
& Cindy refound
each other and
rekindled their
relationship.
The story should
have ended "and
they lived
happily ever
after," but this
is not a
fairytale.
They married
shortly after
his diagnosis,
at the local
courthouse,
thinking they
could have a
real wedding
with family
after he beat
the disease.
That day never
came. Bryan lost
a leg to the
cancer, but it
then showed up
in his lung. He
also lost his
job, his medical
insurance and
his house. Cindy
lost her own job
trying to keep
up as his
caregiver. They
moved in with
her mother in
Bensenville,
where both grew
up. That's when
Cindy read in a
magazine about
Fairygodmother
Foundation,
a national
wish-granting
organization for
adults with
terminal
illness. Bryan
still hoped to
finally have the
real wedding
they never had.
He sent in a
wish
application.
Enter Strike at
Cancer
Foundation, who
often partners
with
Fairygodmother
Foundation,
embracing wishes
of local cancer
patients. In
checking the
weekly list of
wishes this one
immediately
struck a chord,
in spite of the
rather bad
timing, in the
midst of our
annual
fundraiser
planning. But,
when something
feels right,
there's no point
in
procrastinating.
Strike at Cancer
called
Fairygodmother
to say "this one
is ours."
In reality, we
had no idea what
an incredible
ride we would
take, with this
family and with
this community.
The generous
outpouring on
behalf of the
Arnesons has
been
astonishing. Who
said fairytales
don't really
happen? One by
one, individuals
stood up to say,
"I can help with that,"
like Greg
Koeppen and
Steve Slobe of
Medleys In
Motion in
Grayslake,
Kris
Malandruccolo of
Elegant Videos
by Kris and Monty's
Banquet Hall in
Bensenville, each
person offering
exactly what was
needed at the
exact moment it
was needed. All
these people,
for the most
part strangers,
forming a circle
of care around
this family in
need. On April
9, thanks to
their
generosity, the Arnesons' dream
came true: a
fairytale
wedding, right
down to the
honeymoon.
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