Nearing the end of 2018, my father started noticing a cough that gradually got worse over time. He went to his primary care physician and was told it was bronchitis and it was treated as such. After having the cough for a few more months and now not being able to swallow without having pain, he decided to go to a specialist and have an endoscopy done. It was about a week later in May of 2019, that we found out the diagnosis. Dad was diagnosed with stage-4 esophageal cancer that had spread to his liver and lungs.
We quickly got my father set up with an oncologist as Memorial Sloan Kettering Hospital in NYC. It was there that my father received the news that with this type of aggressive cancer, life expectancy was roughly five years. This was a major blow to our entire family but we knew that five years was a blessing considering his circumstance and that we had time to make more memories and enjoy every moment and every day like it was our last day together. Once officially diagnosed, my father’s health quickly took a turn for the worst. Within the first three months, he lost almost 60 pounds from not being able to eat solid foods or drink liquids due to the size and location of his tumor. In order to get the proper nutrition, a feeding tube was inserted. From there, he had unfortunate setback after unfortunate setback. He spent a total of 25 days in the hospital and his body started to shut down. His final emergency visit to Sloan was in late February of this year due to a breathing episode. My brother and I received a call from my mother asking us to come down because things were taking a bad turn with dad’s health. We arrived at Sloan on a Tuesday night and never left until, at 8:45 am on March 7th, 2020, dad took his last breath after a hard-fought, 9-month battle with this atrocious disease. The people that loved him most surrounded him.
My father was always the life of the party! He would make you laugh even if you weren’t in the mood to laugh. He would make you smile when you felt like there was no chance you could smile. He was the person you wanted to be around all of the time because he made you feel loved. He was my father and my best friend. He was an avid golfer, hunter, churchgoer, and family man. I miss him every day and it doesn’t get any easier. My father was a God-fearing man and knew that his job here on earth was done and that God needed him in heaven. With God by our side, my family pushes on.
I have set up a golf outing in my father’s name in order to keep his spirit alive and hope that we can raise money to benefit the ongoing fight to combat esophageal cancer. This is just our story. Millions of families go through the same battles every day and all of them are heartbreaking. I pray for all of the cancer survivors, all that have lost their lives and all of the families affected by this dreadful disease. Let’s all play a part in the continued fight against esophageal cancer!!
– God Bless
Jason Macchiarola
Third Annual Anthony “Reno” Macchiarola Fight Against Esophageal Cancer Golf Outing
Where: Beekman Golf Course – 11 Country Club Road, Hopewell Junction, NY 12533
When: Friday, September 10, 2022
Time: 9:00am Registration 10:00am Shotgun Start
Cost: $150 per player or $600 per foursome
Includes: 18 hole 4 man team scramble, golf card, lunch, and beer on the course
Questions: Contact Jay Macchiarola at jaymac3180@aol.comExtras:
Extras:
- Closest to the Pin
- Longest Drive Hole
- Double Your Money Par 3 Hole
- 50/50 Raffle
- Raffle booklets for sale for a chance to win some great prizes!
- Putting Contest for a chance to win $250 cash!
Tee Box Sign Sponsorships (11×17 Sponsorship signs are available for individuals or companies:
- Tee Box Sign $150
- Main Putting Green Sign $250
- Beer Area Sign $300