Meet Joe and His Family
Joe was a husband, a father, and the heart of his family, living with Stage IV sinonasal undifferentiated carcinoma, a rare and aggressive form of head and neck cancer.
He was diagnosed in 2021, and from that moment forward, his life became a series of extraordinary challenges. He underwent a 24 hour surgery that resulted in the loss of his left eye. He later endured radiation that mistakenly targeted the wrong area of his brain, causing devastating complications, including the loss of his frontal lobe. Despite multiple treatments, hospitalizations, and a clinical trial at the National Institutes of Health, the tumor continued to return and progress.
Through it all, Joe kept fighting.
But more than anything, he kept loving.
He was surrounded by his wife, Amanda, and their two daughters, Nora and Willa, who were his entire world. As a family, they learned to live differently. As Amanda shared, they no longer measured time in days or hours, but in moments. Moments where their girls could laugh without fear. Moments where they could see the light in each other’s eyes again.
In February 2026, Joe passed away, just one day before Willa’s ninth birthday.
On September 7th, Joe and his family were given one of those moments.
For their One Day to Remember, they spent the day together at the National Aviary in Pittsburgh, where they experienced something completely unique and joy-filled.
They met Valentino the sloth, watched him paint pictures using colors they chose, and explored the aviary together as a family. Their daughters laughed, pointed, and took in every new experience with wonder. Even a moment when their youngest daughter was unexpectedly pooped on by a lorikeet became part of the story, something that later turned into laughter and a memory they now cherish.
The day was captured through both portraits and candid moments by Kyle Rose Photography, preserving memories that now live on in their home and in their hearts.
They ended their day together over milkshakes, sitting and reflecting on everything they had experienced. In that moment, a song came on overhead that felt like it was meant just for them. As Amanda shared, they all sang together, holding onto the feeling of being present, together, and whole
Their One Day to Remember
More Than Just One Day
When Amanda was asked what she hoped for, her answer was simple.
She wanted a day where they could just be themselves before cancer. A day where they could all be happy and enjoy something together.
That is exactly what they were given.
The most meaningful part of the day was watching their family smile and laugh together, especially during their time with the sloth. For a moment, the weight they had been carrying lifted. Joe was not defined by his diagnosis. He was simply a dad, fully present with his daughters.
Amanda shared that One Day to Remember gave their family something words can barely hold. A sense of stillness. A deep breath in the middle of the storm they had been living through.
Why This Day Mattered
This day became something far greater than an outing.
It became a memory that Joe and Amanda intentionally created for their daughters. A memory filled with laughter, light, and love. A memory untouched by fear.
Amanda spoke about wanting their daughters to hold onto these moments in the days ahead. To remember not just the illness, but the joy. The singing. The laughter. The way their dad showed up for them, even in the hardest season of his life.
She shared that what was given to their family was a gift beyond measure. A chance for Joe to be just a dad again. Not the patient. Not the man fighting a disease that would not go away. Just a father, sharing joy with his family.
One Day to Remember did not just give them a day. It gave them something lasting.
A moment they will carry with them for the rest of their lives.
And for that, their family will always be grateful.
“One Day to Remember didn’t just give us a day out. It gave us hope. A stillness. A deep breath in the middle of the storm we have been living through.
And for that, we are more grateful than we could ever say.
To every staff member, volunteer, and everyone here this evening who donates to make these experiences possible for families like ours— thank you from the bottom of our hearts.
You gave this guy next to me a chance to be just a dad again. Not the patient. Not the guy who keeps fighting cancer because it doesn’t freaking go away. But just the dad that he is, sharing in the joy with his family.
This is a gift beyond measure, and it’s one that we will carry with us for the rest of our days.”
- Joe’s Wife, Amanda