Angie stayed at Gabriel House after undergoing a double lung transplant. With the help of her mother and caregiver, Betty, they found community and healing during their stay at Gabriel House.

Zach Briggs is an Army veteran who served in both Iraq and Afghanistan before becoming a caretaker for his father at Gabriel House. Learn more about his story and The Briggs Veterans Fund.

Walter’s journey began long before he stayed at Gabriel House. He was diagnosed with prostate cancer many years ago, after undergoing treatment, both he and his wife believed that his health troubles were behind him.

Despite working for 50 hours a week at the sawmill, Nicholas suffered from zero symptoms and never saw signs of fatigue or weakness, indicating that he had kidney failure. Nicholas went to his doctors, but after suspecting he was not the right fit, decided to switch to a different doctor.

When Noemi was 25, her doctor told her two days before Christmas that she had leukemia. And then again when she was 32, and yet again for the third time in 2020 when she was 42. With the help of her daughter, who was her donor as well as her husband and caregiver Kevin, she was able to stay positive and has the spirit of a fighter.

Derick is a husband, a father of three, an ex-marine, but most importantly a strong man of faith. He believes his faith is what gave him the most strength throughout his tumultuous journey a year ago when his heart began failing.

Lynda and Edward first met in high school. They fell in love, got married, started a family, and have been together for 56 years. Edward was diagnosed with polycystic kidney disease and was on dialysis for four and a half years. Doctors told him it could take another four to six years to recieve a kidney.

Virginia took trips to the grocery store. She cooked. She cleaned. She was completing her master’s degree online and she was teaching math to students online. All of this while managing her husband, Francisco’s, dialysis and medications for the past year after he suffered heart and kidney damage in June 2019.

While being a caregiver professionally is emotionally taxing, Esther says being one 24/7 in Gabriel House makes it easier. When she first arrived at our house Esther said she met Roxanne was the first person she opened up to.

Jerry, a permanent resident and his wife, a citizen of Hong Kong flew down four months ago to receive care that was not available in Hong Kong during the middle of the ongoing pandemic.

Twenty-five-year-old Phillip remains calm, levelheaded and above all patient when it comes to being a caregiver for his mom, Lynn, over these last five years.

Michael and his wife, Julie came to our house two weeks ago after finding out Michael was diagnosed with esophageal cancer.

Corey is a resilient guest of Gabriel House with a dream to one day open up her own nonprofit facility.

When you are young, happily married and a mother of three, you have your whole life in front of you. Or do you? For 29-year-old Wendy, her life as she knew it, had come to a sudden halt, when she learned at the age of 26 she had an enlarged heart.

When Gabriel House opened in April 2011, its mission was to provide affordable, temporary lodging for those coming to Jacksonville for either an organ transplant or cancer treatment. That remains our core mission.

There is nothing stronger than the unconditional love of family. It is unbreakable, determined and fearless. It’s what has gotten June’s family through the past 2 years. June was a 25 year old, biology graduate student when she was diagnosed with acute lymphoma.

Bobby proudly served our country for two years rising to the ranks of SP5 in the U.S. Army Helicopter Aviation branch. As with many of his fellow soldiers and those living in Vietnam, he began to develop health complications years after the war ended.

Hearing the words “you have cancer” changes your life in an instant sending you spiraling into a world with more questions than answers.