Actor Posts Heartbreaking Tribute after Mother Passes Away
Time is a thief, and no matter how great your personal wealth or fame, one thing holds true: Someday in some way you and those you love will have to face death.
It’s a sad truth, but one that’s wiser to prepare for head-on rather than try to ignore. Just consider the case of actor Colton Haynes.
The 29-year-old actor made a name for himself in roles on MTV’s “Teen Wolf” and CW’s “Arrow,” but he also broadened his resume with modeling stints for Abercrombie & Fitch, as well as recording some successful singles. But despite his success, even Haynes has had to confront mortality itself.
“My mom has been in and out of the hospital since January,” he wrote in an Instagram post on Feb. 20. “After multiple tests, we found out she actually has advanced cirrhosis of the liver and kidney failure.”
Though Haynes mother, Dana, could’ve possibly survived given swift organ transplants, the glacial pace of most U.S. transplant programs made it virtually an impossibility. So she decided to focus on enjoying her remaining days as best she could rather than frantically rushing after hopeless treatments.
“My mom … always loves to laugh,” Haynes wrote. “Even when her liver and kidney doctors gave us the worst news you could get, my mom looked at us and said, ‘The best thing to do in these situations is to laugh.’”
Even peering at eternity, she took her own advice, going so far as to nickname the physician who gave her the awful news “Dr. Doom.”
Though Haynes and his siblings tried their hardest to spend as much time as possible by her bedside, they started a GoFundMe campaign to have round-the-clock nursing care available.
The campaign reached its $10,000 goal within three days. As of press time, it had raised $13,173, and Haynes said on Instagram that “every single penny we raise over the goal from today on will be donated to the American Liver Foundation to help others who are going through this horrible disease.”
If you’ve ever known anyone who has suffered from kidney or liver disease, you understand the horrible toll they can take on the human body. Only a month had passed before Haynes shared heartbreaking news.
On March 24, he wrote, “Today I lost my best friend, the love of my life … my momma. Words can’t express how incredible this woman was.
“I have so many things to say, but I’m in a state of shock. I will always love you, momma.”
Haynes’ co-stars were quick to offer condolences. But perhaps his greatest comfort comes from knowing that Dana had his steadfast love and the adoration of her family in her final days.
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