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At the precious age of 3, my son DJ was diagnosed with Stage 4 Neuroblastoma. There are no words to describe our journey with our little boy. What I can share is that God blessed us with an angel for a very short time here on earth; his blond hair was so light it was almost white and his eyes were a beautiful Caribbean blue. He loved his older brother, his cat Skittles and his favorite color was red. He loved cars and didn’t go anywhere without one in each hand. His favorite day of the year was birthdays, he truly loved celebrating others special day as much as his own.
DJ was a beloved patient at Denver Children’s Hospital and touched numerous lives while he was here. My mom was a tremendous help during this time, moving into the family home, while we moved into the hospital with DJ. We were forced to shrink a lifetime into 4 years, as we were trying to shrink the tumor in his tummy with chemotherapy. The tumor did shrink and the surgeon was able to remove most of it and then performed radiation. We thought we had made it through the hellish crisis, but the cancer returned. We were told they couldn’t cure DJ, he only had 2 months to live, and to take him home.
Despite involving the top Oncologist in the US for Neuroblastoma and moving to the Ronald McDonald house in LA for another year of treatment, DJ passed away at age 4. Though I grew up in the Christian faith, DJ was my greatest teacher about life and living. He taught me how to tolerate physical pain and taught me God is good all the time. He made me the man I am today.
My husband Steve was diagnosed with a rare cancer at the age of 53. He was an amazing husband and father, who always put his family first. He was also an unbelievable friend, always lending a helping hand, often traveling near and far to help friends and family move. He was a co-founder of a successful software company in Virginia Beach, Virginia. He got up early and worked out on a daily basis, making it a priority to see our son before heading to his office. He also had a life-long passion for martial arts, attracted to the principles of discipline, respect and humility. He was thankful to find time to train, and proud to count among his training partners many first responders, military and special forces personnel, including members of the Navy SEAL community as his friends and sparring partners. He was extremely health conscious and in such phenomenal shape that the diagnosis was shocking and truly hard to comprehend.
The cancer was growing silently in his parotid gland and by the time we received the diagnosis, it was already Stage 4 and nearly untreatable. It was the rarest of rare: Acinic Cell Carcinoma. We consulted with all the top cancer doctors in the US, but they too had no clear path to curing this cancer, but all agreed on the same initial step. Steve underwent a 22-hour record breaking surgery at Norfolk General Hospital to remove his jawbone and replace it with a bone from his leg, which was then followed up by many months of radiation, chemotherapy and additional surgeries. He battled for two years until we lost him in January of 2015. Throughout this entire ordeal, I was a wife, mother and primary caregiver and it truly gave me an appreciation for anyone and everyone who has found themselves in a similar position…you never know how strong you are until you are put through the ultimate test.
At Coastal Yacht Donations, we are dedicated to supporting children facing serious health challenges, including cancer and heart disease. Our mission is inspired by the powerful stories of two remarkable boys, DJ Morse and Peter Stark, who taught us about love, strength, and resilience in the face of adversity.
DJ was diagnosed with Stage 4 Neuroblastoma at just 3 years old. His journey, filled with joy and heartache, left a lasting impact on everyone he touched. Peter Stark, born with a serious heart condition, faced life-threatening challenges right from the start. Both boys reminded us of the importance of community and support during difficult times.
We are raising funds to help us launch our initiative to accept boat donations. By reselling these boats, we can raise money that will go directly to charities supporting children like DJ and Peter.
Your contributions will help us provide essential resources and emotional support for families navigating these health challenges. Together, we can honor the legacies of DJ and Peter, making a meaningful difference in the lives of children and their families. Thank you for your support!