MIB Agents Family Funds™
#BecauseOf

Aiden was diagnosed with Osteosarcoma in his left tibia in February of 2021. Less than a week later he started over 9 months of intensive chemotherapy following the standard MAP protocol, as well as endured 5 different surgeries, including Limb Salvage Surgery in May of 2021.

Alex Etheridge was born to rock on October 22, 2009. He battled osteosarcoma for 18 long months, all the while, continuing to make music as both bass guitarist and sensational drummer! His family is dedicated to remembering Alex’ and his passion for music through programs for fellow osteo warriors.

Our sweet little Allisen was diagnosed with osteosarcoma at the age of 12. She was in 7th grade and just starting out on her school’s dance team. Her life changed very quickly.

Andrew was an active 12 year old boy when he was diagnosed with Osteosarcoma in November 2017. The cancer diagnosis completely stunned, then devastated us.

Annaleigh passion for musical theater, singing and guitar were all brought to a halt when she was diagnosed with osteosarcoma at 16 years old. Although the diagnosis was overwhelming, Annaleigh had a strong sense that she would be ok.

Arnav was diagnosed with Osteosarcoma in his senior year of high school. Osteosarcoma is an aggressive bone cancer that occurs when a bone-forming cell starts growing out of control, making a cancerous tumor in the bone. Once the cancer spreads to any part of the body, the 5 year survival rate is only 25%. About 500 children and teens in the US get it every year.

Anyone who knows Ava knows that backflips and front handsprings fill her heart and soul. From an early age, she would tumble around our house, walking on her hands until her face turned purple, only to come upright until she could go upside down again. She couldn’t sit still, taking every opportunity to tumble and twirl. Gymnastics was everything to her. It was in her DNA.

Avery was a bright light to everyone that met her. She loved big and was wise beyond her years. She was a good friend, always smiling and sharing kindness. She loved her family and friends, school, basketball, volleyball and loved to travel. Our lives were better with her in it, and we were blessed to have her for 12 years.

Brenton bravely battled osteosarcoma with a smile on his face for just shy of two years. He spread love and happiness to all who had the privilege to know him and his greatest wish was to be able to prevent others from having to experience the pain and suffering he endured.

Briana was diagnosed with Osteosarcoma in October 2017 when she was only 7 years old. For the next 10 and a half months Briana spent almost every week in the hospital receiving chemotherapy treatment.

Brooke had a natural warmth and a way of lighting up any room she was in. Brooke lived her life fully, joyfully, and with love and concern for others. She loved her work, her book club and the outdoors; she relished cycling, swimming, hiking, and discovering the world. Vibrant and inspiring, she was a force for good. Her many achievements, hopes, and aspirations -- as well as her love, humor, and infectious smile -- brought her family and friends tremendous joy. She led them to remarkable places and remarkable people; she enriched their lives.

Brooklynn was a fun loving 12 year old that loved life. She enjoyed spending time with her friends and family, Bible Quizzing, painting, making bracelets, and pretty much any other craft activity. She loved Stitch, axolotls, and gnomes. She enjoyed giving gifts as much as she loved receiving them, if not more. She was looking forward to running in track and cross country her seventh grade year. 

Buddy is the most strong, resilient, sweet and empathetic young boy who we are proud to call our son. He has been bravely battling Osteosarcoma since he was just 5 years old which now at the age of 10 means he's been fighting for his survival for half his lifetime.

Carson was diagnosed with osteosarcoma in January of 2018. Carson tried different treatments to cure this awful disease, but unfortunately they did not work. He passed away on March 2, 2020. Even though a cure could not be found for him, he would want us to keep fighting. No one should ever experience this terrible disease. Although Carson had cancer, that didn’t define who he truly was.

Charlotte was a senior in high school when she became an OsteoAngel. She was diagnosed with osteosarcoma in her right femur in July 2018. Char was athletic, funny, stubborn, creative, full of grit and a sweet friend to all. Her smile lit up any room.

In June of 2016 Chris went to the doctor for leg pain. An x-ray showed a tumor in his right femur. A week later, the biopsy confirmed the tumor was osteosarcoma.

Christien Mikhail Quiles was an incredible young man who was filled with love and a passion for life and people. Simply put he was an absolute joy to be around, motivating everyone he came in contact with.

Clayton, a bright, talented teenager with a great sense of humor, was fun to be around. He enjoyed snowboarding, the beach, skim-boarding, bodysurfing, gaming, playing volleyball, skateboarding, photography, and other creative and intellectual pursuits. He was the older brother and a loving son as well as a generous and loyal friend.

Daniel was an avid tennis player when he was diagnosed with Osteosarcoma in his left femur in July 2020 at the age of 13. Like all families that have gone through it, our world was turned upside down, and we had to make difficult decisions quickly around treatment and surgical options.

Dylan demonstrated incredible strength, courage, and optimism. He never stopped fighting and never gave up hope. He lived by his credo “I will always be strong enough to pick myself up no matter what,” and inspired others with his resilience, joyful spark, and grace.

Edward Richard Novinski was born on April 28, 1987 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He was a generous, kind hearted, adventurous man who believed in living life to its fullest, making every day count.

Eli was born in 2000 and grew up in the Portland, OR area. He was a joyful and spontaneous kid who was a bright light in the lives of so many –especially his mother Lea, his father Ben, his siblings Ali and Ryan, and his amazing group of friends. For someone so young, Eli was remarkably selfless, caring, insightful and considerate. He was truly the best kind of person.

Ella Bee was a unique soul. Everyone who knew her described her as ’sweet’ and that is who she was at her core…but she was so much more. She was filled with love, hilariously witty, compassionate, insightful, determined (and maybe a lot stubborn), selfless beyond reason, creative, artistic, and the most loyal friend to those she loved.

Gavin remained positive, fierce, kind, and never missed an opportunity to make people laugh - he truly was a gift on this earth for 19 years.

Gillian has been lucky among the most unluckiest. In 2017, she was 1 of 1000 diagnosed with Osteosarcoma in the US. While she thrives, we have lost friends to this rare disease and many others are still fighting. Help us end this game of chance.

Ian was an energetic, soccer-loving 12-year-old boy in November of 2019 when he was diagnosed with osteosarcoma of the left tibia with metastatic disease. Before he even finished the 10 weeks of initial chemotherapy, repeat studies showed that his cancer was not responding to the standard treatment, which has not changed in over 30 years.

Isaac was diagnosed with Osteosarcoma in October 2021, the same week he turned 12 years old. He gained his angel wings to be with God as he was just about to turn 15 years old. The news of bone cancer was sudden and devastating for all of us, and this battle over the past 3 years has been tough.

Jack was diagnosed with osteosarcoma in his left tibia in April of 2017. When the diagnosis of osteosarcoma was finally made it forever changed the life of our family. Jack began with 3 months of chemo followed by Limb Salvage Surgery and then more chemo.

Jaden was born on July 18, 2013, with a natural inclination to bring joy, creativity, and strength to those around him. At the age of 7, he was diagnosed with osteosarcoma in his right proximal humerus after experiencing persistent pain. Despite the shock, Jaden began MAP treatment on May 10, 2021, and underwent a complex surgery to replace his affected humerus with his fibula.

Despite battling osteosarcoma with incredible courage, Krysty's journey took a difficult turn. Previous treatments, including chemotherapy, radiation, and lung surgeries, were did not halt the progression of her disease.

After complaining of leg pain, Kyle was diagnosed with osteosarcoma at the age of 15 in January of 2017. Our family was terrified, but we were hopeful.

Leah was the best listener and held so much love for the important people in her life and her cat. She had a contagious laugh that spread to anyone in her presence. Leah loved life and never wanted to give it up. She should be alive today, and now we are left only hoping that we can prevent others from losing this same fight.

Marisa knew cancer was always going to be an aspect of her life but was adamant it was not going to define her. She was going to be known first & foremost for other things.

The Matthew Lehrman Osteosarcoma Research Fund began when Matthew contacted MIB Agents and asked how he could Make It Better (MIB) for osteosarcoma for patients. He believed that we needed more research for osteosarcoma, so we set up a donation page for his friends and family who wanted to help.

Our precious daughter, Megan, was an athlete who had just finished playing in the high school volleyball championship game in mid-November of 2014. Just before Christmas, she began having pain in her knee.

To say that Mia was the happiest little girl in the world is an understatement. She cherished every single minute with her family.

Michael Heras passed from this life on May 25, 2018. He will always be remembered with love and admiration for his incredible courage and fortitude in battling osteosarcoma.

Noblesse oblige is a French phrase literally meaning “nobility obligates”. It denotes the concept that nobility extends beyond mere entitlements and requires the person who holds such status to fulfill social responsibilities, particularly in leadership roles.

My daughter Natalie Villanueva, the journey began in November of 2019, at 18 years old. She was a senior in high school and a rugby player.She started getting pain in her left leg, we thought it was from rugby, so we didn’t think anything of it. But she kept complaining about the pain until finally we took her to get an x-ray, which they didn’t see anything. So we kept going with our days, but the pain kept getting worse. So I finally took her back a couple of weeks later and told them that I wanted them to do an MRI. The hospital called us back and said they needed to see us right away the next day. I felt something was wrong. So when they told us it was cancer, we couldn’t believe it.

Nicholas Melomo was a beloved and respected member of the MIB community. He was an extremely talented artist & poet who was always happy to share his works when called upon. Nicholas liked to make life better for others. He was always helping MIB to Make It Better, even sending us money that his relatives shared with him to celebrate his life and achievements.

Norah brought so much energy, light, and love to our world. She was an amazing person. Among her many gifts, music was a very big part of her life. She played violin, ukulele, and guitar; she had the voice of an angel. Our family still connects with each other over music, and her playlist is often heard throughout our home. We miss her dearly.

Patrick fought courageously against this insidious and relentless foe since his initial diagnosis in 2018 and even more valiantly so since the first of many metastases appeared in early 2024. He persevered through half a dozen brutally morbid surgeries (measuring his scars in yards), powered through the complications of thirteen chemotherapy drugs, and absorbed radiation to his lungs, sacrum, brain, and elsewhere. All this and more he endured while continuing to make plans for his future with hope and positivity.

Penelope was beautiful inside and out—a kind, empathetic, quick-witted, and adventurous soul. Many people throughout her life used the phrase “wise beyond her years” to describe Penelope, with her earliest teachers affectionately noting she was “two going on forty.” A gifted student, she excelled in academics and leadership roles at Georgia Tech, where she found her home away from home. She was a varsity cheerleader, a campus tour guide, an intern at The Carter Center, and held leadership roles in her sorority. Penelope cared deeply about fighting injustice and protecting the environment.

This is Reese Joseph Imhoff. He is our heart, weaved into our soul, and our greatest teacher.

Ryan was diagnosed with osteosarcoma in his hip joint on Sept 2014 at 17 years old in his Senior Year of High School. He completed treatment in July 2015 and relapsed in January 2016 to his lung with surgery to remove the nodule in April 2016. He has amazingly and gratefully been NED since then.

Ryan was diagnosed with metastatic osteosarcoma at the age of 15 and put on a brave face from the first moment. He remained positive and smiling throughout treatment, his wonderful personality shining through every moment.

In his famous work Zakhor (“Remember”), Yosef Hayim Yerushalmi writes that Jewish memory is a fusion of past and present. Memory is not just a mere recollection of the past that preserves a sense of distance, but it is a re-actualization, a means to act in the present. The Seth Abraham Bombet Osteosarcoma Research Fund has been created as a way to both remember what an exceptional human being Seth was, as well as a way to act on his behalf and in his memory after his passing.

This strong, amazing person has always seemed larger than life. Then, in December 2016, Sloane was diagnosed with osteosarcoma bone cancer in her right femur, after years of being incorrectly treated for leg pain. She had just turned 12 years old. We were devastated.

Sydney’s attitude toward her disease and persistence through seemingly endless treatments, appointments etc. was an inspiration … but the system is not working and we need to do much better. Too many of our amazing, resilient and irreplaceable kids are dying.

“If it can save me, that would be great and hopefully it can help another kid.”

Tyler had a light so bright, everyone, no matter the age, saw it immediately after they met him.

Victoria was 13 years old, a competitive swimmer and in 7th grade when she complained of ankle pain early in December 2014. Our family was not prepared to hear the words “your daughter has cancer” just a few days later.

Zach was diagnosed with Osteosarcoma in January, 2021. At the time of his diagnosis, he already had metastases in his lungs. His left leg was amputated above the knee in April, 2021, to cut out the primary tumor. He didn’t respond well to chemotherapy, and because, as of this writing, Osteosarcoma hasn’t had any new treatments in 40 years, there weren’t any viable options to save his life.