His Story of Courage
Family, friends, and loved ones. With a heavy heart and great sadness, I must share the news of Brian’s passing, which occurred on the morning of September 12th.
Despite his unwavering strength and determination, this terrible disease left Brian unable to continue his fight. After an unpredicted and rapid decline of his condition, Brian chose to be moved to a hospice facility in Northern Virginia, where after two days he passed comfortably and peacefully, with his parents, Al and Susann, and his brother, Greg, by his side.
Brian’s unique humor and unceasing kindness never left him, even during the height of his suffering, the realization of his fate, and the final moments of his presence. He remained the strongest of those around him, providing consolation and levity, inspiration and gratitude, and a calm composure amid a chaotic and difficult time.
Although Brian did not want to surrender and saw himself winning his battle for survival, he was ready. He did not fear his passage and went with confidence that this would not be the end of his journey nor the time spent with those he loved, expressing this through his final message: “I have been blessed with a great life, complete with loving family and friends. I know that we will see each other again, so this is just a ‘see you later’, not a goodbye.”
Some might think of Brian as an unfortunate victim of the merciless natural world. But the truth is that Brian was indeed blessed. Blessed with two beautiful, smart, lovely children, Logan and Elena. Blessed with a family whose love pushed them to their limits to care for him until the very end. Blessed with countless friends and loved ones that were touched by his character and his charm. Blessed with a life of experience and excitement and impact. Brian would not want to be pitied, as he was a lucky man.
For the rest of us, left with a hole in our hearts and lives, let us always carry the piece of Brian that he left with us. Let us celebrate the moments we shared, the ways he altered our lives, and the example he set for us all. He would not want us to be sad, as he spent his life trying to make us happy.
On behalf of Brian and our family, thank you, for your extraordinary and sustained outpouring of love and support throughout this long journey. We cannot express how grateful we are to have so many incredible people in our lives. Know that even when the ground was crumbling beneath us, we found a solid foundation in all of you.
-Greg, Al, and Susann Foderaro
Brian requested that a formal service not be held and that in lieu of further donations through the previous channels, in-memory donations be made to the following organization that provided invaluable services to Brian and all ALS patients. Checks can be mailed to the following address, or donations can be made via their website.
Compassionate Care ALS, PO Box 1052, West Falmouth, MA 03574