Pray for the Pragar Family

Saints, it is with great sadness that I must tell you that Tom Pragar has passed away.  Here is a link to the obituary. As you may remember last week we posted information about a fundraiser for him and his family. Please consider attending.

While I rejoice in knowing what goodness comes when one passes from this life to eternal life with our heavenly Father my heart is terribly heavy for the Pragar family. Through Saints Helping Saints I have met some amazing people faced with terrible hardship and I always wonder how they can face their journey with such poise and bravery. I've joked that I think they have a positivity boot-camp in the oncology departments at our local hospitals because these men, women and children ALWAYS amaze me.

While I've never met Tom Pragar I have met his daughter Sami. I think their whole family must have gone to the positivity boot-camp...and their friends must have too. Last fall we first started praying for Mr. Pragar and we continued everyday. In January I met a young woman named Jordan Schmidt, a friend of Sami's who wanted to help by holding another fundraiser. Just from talking to this friend of Sami's I could tell Tom was a special man and how well loved him and his family were. 

Sami will be returning to Seton this fall and her brother will be at Elder. Please pray for them - our entire Seton & Elder communities praying together will be a great blessing for them. Also pray for his wife Mary Welch Pragar (Seton Class of '82) and pray for Tom's extended family and all of his friends who have been praying for his recovery. Pray for his co-workers in the Cincinnati Fire Department.  Most importantly please pray for the repose of Tom's soul into heaven.

Hope for a Hero

　

Below is information regarding Tom Pragar. Tom is the husband of Mary Welch Pragar '82 and the father of Sami Pragar who is a current student. In addition to supporting and attending this event please consider praying for Tom, his family and his doctors. Full story is below image -Thanks in advance.

Tom’s Story:

In October of 2012, Tom Pragar, a Lieutenant in the Cincinnati Fire Department, received the news that all families pray not to hear. He was diagnosed with metastatic Stage 4 Cholangiocarcinoma (a rare malignant tumor of the bile duct), which had spread to his liver. Tom’s doctors identified the only cure as surgery to remove the tumor and part of his liver. Tom has required numerous procedures, tests, treatments, and hospitalizations for drainage tubes (to help his body process bile out of his body) and for excessive tumor and stomach bleeding. Tom has undergone chemotherapy treatments and two rounds of radiation to shrink the tumor, in hopes of making surgery possible. During all of this, Tom has suffered from several complications of severe acid reflux, inability to eat, significant weight loss and severe bleeding, requiring countless blood transfusions.

Tom Pragar has touched so many lives in his community, as a firefighter with the Cincinnati Fire Department since 1984. He has served the community working the majority of his career at Engine 21, a busy Westside firehouse in South Fairmount and is currently stationed at Engine 50 in Sayler Park. Tom is well respected by fellow firefighters, is knowledgeable, and is known as brave, fearless, never backing down from work and always doing a great job leading his company. Making work at the firehouse interesting and enjoyable, he brought out the better side in everyone because of his jovial demeanor and caring personality. He truly is a great friend to have.

We are asking for help in giving Tom and his family Hope. Fighting this cancer has been very difficult and Tom, his wife Mary, daughter Sami 17, and son Clay 15, need your help and Hope. Please help support the Pragar family by donating to this benefit. All donations, big and small, are greatly appreciated. We are anticipating about 900 people to attend this benefit. Thank you for your donation

and we plan to include you on our website as a donor.

An account has been set up at 5/3 bank under the name

'Hopeforahero-Tom Pragar'.

Contact information:

http://hopeforahero.com

Jay Bosse 513-310-3167

Margie Lanza 513-460-2558