Past Recipients
John Garcia | 2025 Recipient
John Garcia’s story is one of extraordinary resilience and unwavering courage in the face of relentless hardship. Just one week after retiring in 2020 John was diagnosed with kidney cancer, beginning a years-long battle that has included multiple surgeries, radiation, immunotherapy, and the loss of a kidney as the disease spread to his bones. During this time, his wife of nearly 50 years, Marylee, was also diagnosed with liver cancer and remained his devoted caregiver until her passing in 2025. Despite overwhelming grief, mounting medical expenses, and ongoing treatments costing thousands of dollars each month, John continues fighting to be there for his three sons and six grandchildren. His humility, determination, and refusal to give up embodies the true spirit of a fighter, making him a deserving recipient for the 2025 Big Balls in Cowtown Golf Tournament.
Makane Morrow | 2024 Recipient
The 2024 recipient was Makane Morrow (22) of Bridgeport, where he is currently employed by KO Flowback as a flowback tech. In June of 2024 while on location Makane was battling back soreness and after a doctor visit was determined he had a tumor present. Makane was shortly thereafter diagnosed with Osteosarcoma (More Info Here) and has a long battle ahead of him, but a promising one! Makane is currently spending most of his time at UT Southwest in Dallas completing his 6 rounds of chemo treatment. A surgery estimated to last 10-12 hours is scheduled for October 16th, 2024 to remove a portion of his left hip followed by 9 months of being bed-bound.
The Morrow family is extremely grateful for the support from CMHA, and through your generosity we are hoping to be a little silver lining behind Makane’s battle!
Tim Gordon | 2023 Recipient
My name is Tim Gordon. I graduated from Rock Island High School in 1974 and Western Illinois University in 1978. Laurie, my junior high sweetheart, and I married in 1982 after reconnecting following her divorce, and I became a father to her son Jason. Together we raised Jason, along with our three children Drew, Emily, and Alex, while managing careers, a busy home life, and countless family projects. I began my career at Roadway Express in 1981, working my way up from dock supervisor to District Maintenance Manager, a role that required extensive travel. Over the years, Laurie and I faced many challenges, including multiple relocations across the U.S. for my career, but we always worked as a team—she often holding down the fort with the children while I managed demanding shops, reduced costs, and built strong relationships with employees and unions. I later held leadership roles at FedEx Freight, KKW Transportation, and Fleetwood Transportation before retiring in 2021.
After retirement, health challenges began to shape my journey. I endured hip replacements, prostate cancer that required surgery, radiation, and ongoing treatment, as well as a full knee replacement. Despite these battles, I remain grateful for my family, faith, and the medical care that has given me time to enjoy life. Today, Laurie and I live in Weatherford, Texas, close to our children and grandchildren. We are blessed with five grandchildren and three great-grandchildren, and I pray for many more years to share with them and my wife as we continue this journey together.
