Souls like his are rare, and now he needs help fighting cancer. Help my Dad to continue to bring warmth into the world.
When my father collapsed just a bit over a month ago, it was a terrible shock, like seeing the sun collapse in on itself, a titan falling, and when we got the diagnosis finally, after fighting with hospitals and doctors offices to just get seen, to even recognize the extreme danger, the urgency of this situation, it was like a plane crash in slow motion.
Unfair, unjust, horrible, just plain wrong, all these words and more rushing through my mind. It shouldn’t be him. That’s all I could think.
My name is Gavin Yamasato, and I’m raising funds to help my father Lawrence (Larry) Yamasato — an unbelievably generous, hard-working, and humble man—through the most difficult chapter of his life: stage 4 colorectal cancer.
My dad has always worked hard, the measure of his self worth being written in the blood and sweat he’s left along the way. He isn’t just the kind of person who shows up, but commits himself to solving your problems and helping you out of whatever fire you’ve gotten yourself into.
He always gave everything he had for the people around him—his time, his money, his energy.
He lived frugally so he could be as generous as possible, and if you know him, you know what frugally really means here; watering down the dish soap, making furniture from scrap, fixing old tools, wearing the same clothes way too long, cutting down on services, groceries and bills so he had more to give, putting his own pain to the side so that he could focus on someone else’s.
He helped others quietly, behind the scenes, not for recognition, but because it was the right thing to do.
He’s the kind of man who shows up when times are toughest, with that good old shirt off his back type of attitude.
He’s always been the guy who’ll fix your roof, build you a shelf, mow your lawn, or sit around the dinner table, talking story about life, philosophy, and the importance of integrity—especially when no one’s watching. He believes in doing the right thing even when it’s hard. Especially when it’s hard.
Over the years, his extended family has grown large, through his generous, fun, and loving nature. Always goofy, and the kind of old weirdo you just love having in your life. So many people call him family, even if they’re not related by blood.
Accepting and caring for people, and bringing them into his life, that’s just who he is. If anyone embodies the true spirit of aloha and the hanai culture of Hawai‘i, it’s him.
For the past 7 years, he dedicated himself completely to caring for his mother—our beloved grandma—who passed away at age 99 just last year.
She had pretty severe dementia towards the end and it was really taxing on him. He took care of her every single day, right up to the end, with the same unwavering love and loyalty he’s shown everyone in his life. As he would often say:
“I don’t abandon people.”
And he never did.
You’d think that after all that, he’d finally get to rest. But just a year after she passed, he collapsed while working in the yard (because of course he was working in the yard), and we got the devastating diagnosis: stage 4 colorectal cancer.
True to form, he hadn’t complained. Hadn’t told anyone about the pain. He didn’t want to burden others. He waited too long to get checked. And now… now he needs help.
I wish I had done a better job. I wish I had grown a ton of wealth and gotten a great income that would let me take care of him and cover all of this, but I guess I fell short of that. I don’t have the capacity to take this on for him and so I am calling out help, into the great wide world, for anyone who will answer.
What This Fundraiser Is For
We’re doing everything we can to make sure he gets the care, comfort, and dignity he deserves—but this is a mountain no one should climb alone.
Your donations will go toward:
Treatments, medications, and care not fully covered by insurance
Home accessibility and mobility support
Transportation to and from appointments
Nutrition and end-of-life comfort supplies
Giving him peace, stability, and relief from financial stress
❤️ How You Can Help
We’re asking for help, not because he would—but because he wouldn’t, because that’s the kind of person who deserves it the most, the person who thinks of themselves last.
Even now, he worries about leaving his family with debts, and considers forgoing treatment to avoid it. Because of who he is, he’s always given first and thought second, and now I am hoping the world has the capacity and heart to give back.
Whether it’s a donation, a share, or a message of support, every little bit helps. Tell a joke and make him laugh again. Anything that will ease his burden a little will be a godsend.
If you’d prefer to support us monthly, fundraiser allows recurring donations—we’re deeply grateful for anything you can give.
Thank you for taking the time to read this, and thank you—truly—for anything you can do.
