A Room for Brian

   Angela Hospice's donor-supported Care Center
   provided Brian with the care he needed -- and 

      brought his family peace of mind.

The Angela Hospice Care Center has always been a community-driven labor of love. From its construction in the early 1990s; to its expansion a decade and a half later; and right through to the present, where day-to-day operations are supported by the generosity of donors and friends – the Care Center is a rare and valuable community resource made possible by Angela Hospice’s caring supporters. It’s also a godsend for families like the Wilson’s.

When their son came to stay with them over Christmas last year, the brain tumor he had been determined to fight for nearly 11 years began to overcome him. At 30 years old, Brian was 6’2” and his disease had progressed to the point that he could no longer walk on his own. How would his parents take care of him in their home that was not wheelchair accessible? The Angela Hospice Care Center provided a solution. It meant Brian could get the care he needed and his parents would know that he was safe.

“That was the best place for him,” said Karen Wilson, Brian’s mother.

She and her husband, Tom, had always known their son was special. Brian was an impressive child, entering the talented and gifted program by grade three. In middle school he started playing the saxophone and excelled at it. In high school he tackled advanced placement courses. It wasn't surprising that he decided to double major when he went to U of M: saxophone performance and math. And maybe it didn't seem like a big deal when he started getting headaches. After all, he was working hard on a performance piece and taking a full load of classes.

But in April of 2006 the headaches got bad enough that Brian went to the ER. He would undergo a CT scan and MRI, then surgery the very next morning. The doctors found a mass on his brain.

When it was time for a second operation, "Brian chose to have that surgery during spring break," said Tom. "Then he went back to school on time."

Tom and Karen Wilson with their son Brian, and
daughter and son-in-law Jodi and Dave Guzak.

Smart and driven, Brian wasn’t about to let a brain tumor hold him back. He interned for NASA during his fourth year at the university, then after another surgery, went on to an internship at Boeing.

When two oncologists said they had exhausted their options for treatment, Brian went to the Duke University Brain Tumor Clinic and began a series of clinical trials. In 2011, he was actually able to stop all treatments. The tumor was gone.

“We were told it comes back,” Karen said. “We just wouldn’t know when.”

In the meantime, Brian had graduated with honors from the University of Michigan, having changed his major to aerospace engineering. His story of perseverance was even shared by the University president in her 2009 commencement address, as she highlighted Brian and other noted alumni who had faced adversity, including playwright Arthur Miller, and President Gerald Ford.

After graduation, Brian started his career with Boeing working on a series of exciting projects in Huntsville,  Seattle, and Patuxant River.

He then returned to Hunstsville, transferring within Boeing to work on NASA’s new Orion Space Launch System. But soon after, his tumor seemed to be returning; so Brian resumed treatment at Duke, flying to North Carolina where his parents would meet him.

By the summer of 2016, Brian’s condition had deteriorated significantly. In addition to the seizures he would have every few months, Brian was having difficulty walking, and was losing motor function in his right hand. He had even fallen at work.

“He was going through some physical therapy and the physical therapist said point blank, ‘You need to go on sick leave,’” Tom said. But Brian did not want to stop working.

Brian’s girlfriend, Therese, who also worked at Boeing, was doing all she could to take care of him. But she was going to be travelling during the holidays.

“He lived in a two-story house and our concern was him falling down those stairs when he was by himself,” Karen said.

“As it turns out…he and his girlfriend got called into personnel and they suggested he go on short-term disability, which he did,” Tom said. So Tom and Karen brought Brian home for Christmas.

Brian with his dog Riley

But while he was back in Michigan, his seizures increased – up to eight in one day. It was January 2017 when his doctors at Duke suggested they look into hospice.

“I just love Angela Hospice,” Karen said, “so that’s what I wanted. That was the best place for him. It was only 10 minutes from our home.”

Brian moved into the Angela Hospice Care Center, where he lived for 15 days. His girlfriend was able to come from Alabama to visit, and brought Brian’s dog, Riley, too.

“It was almost like he was staying alert until she came, and once she was gone, he had seen her and Riley his dog for the last time, Brian decided, ‘OK. It’s time to go,’” Tom explained.

“He had no pain at all,” Karen said.

Brian had fought hard for many years to live a normal life. He had been successful in school and his career, and had made many friends along the way.

The Wilson family keeps a binder of the kind words written about Brian, a collection of the memories and reflections shared by friends, family, and co-workers via Facebook. It’s a testament to Brian’s impact on the world, comments painting a beautiful picture of the man they called funny and wickedly smart.

“You helped me get through a lonely, rough time…and I will always appreciate it!” wrote one friend.

Brian loved spoiling his niece and nephews. From left
are Brooklyn, Andrew, and Matthew.

“You have done so much to resonate as a warm soul that brought smiles to everyone you’ve touched,” said another.

“Brian was an amazing brother to me and uncle to my children. We already miss him so much,” wrote Brian’s sister, Jodi.

Page after page of comments tell the story of who Brian was and what he meant to the people in his life. And as one tribute said: “Your family should be proud. You’ve made the world a better place.”