A Brother Remembered: John’s Monthly Tribute to Timothy

Once a month, every month, for the last twelve years, John O’Hey sits down to write a check to the AdventHealth Foundation. When his younger brother Timothy was diagnosed with liver cancer in June of 2012, they never could’ve expected he would only survive the next six months.

“You know, it’s that thing of, how do you remember somebody? How do you keep that memory alive? Well, I do it once a month: I write the check, and I spend some time with my brother.”

In 2012, Timothy, his wife, and their daughter moved to Orlando while she was pregnant with their second child. John says Timothy was incredibly charismatic and friendly: “He was one of those guys that, if you went someplace with him, by the time you left, he knew everybody in the room.” He received his diagnosis in June and immediately began treatment—he did chemo, radiation, and even cut out a chunk of his liver. Unfortunately, Timothy’s prognosis wasn’t great, and he passed on Christmas Eve of the same year.

Throughout his brother’s cancer journey, from diagnosis to death, John emphasized the importance of turning tragedy into something good. One good thing that came from this, John says, is that they were able to donate Timothy’s corneas.

After his death, John says he felt it was important to him and his family to come back to AdventHealth to visit the floor where his brother stayed, to thank everyone: “I took my nieces, my sister-in-law, and my mom and we went and handed out cookies to everybody there. Most of the staff were still there, but the nurse that had taken care of him had moved to Tallahassee—and she came down from Tallahassee just to be there that day. It was closure, for me, for all of us.”

John shared that even in just the twelve years since his brother’s passing, the advancements in cancer treatment and care have amazed him. “His cancer, although tragic, is hopefully turning out to do something good,” John shares why giving back and supporting cancer research is so important to him. “If you can give time and you have the skill, then you should donate that. But if you don’t, you can donate money—and money will help.”

So, John gives what he can, when he can, to remember his brother in a way that means something important to him. Cancer has touched so many lives – by supporting loved ones and giving what you can, we can all band together for a cure.