OP_041317

10 | April 13, 2017 | The orland park prairie News
opprairie.com
Community supports Orland Park Rock Bottom assistant brewer
Jason Maholy
Freelance Reporter
The quote, as Andy Mikal
remembers it, is “You don’t
know how strong you are,
until strong is the only option
you have.”
The attribution is unclear,
but to Mikal, it means he has
to reach deeper inside himself
than ever before and find
whatever strength he has —
strength maybe he did not
know he had — to make it
through the most challenging
period of his life.
The 33-year-old was diagnosed
in January with Stage
4 colon cancer and has since
then has undergone six of
12 chemotherapy sessions
scheduled to continue until
July. He always has been
inspired by the Navy Seals
and has adopted a warriors
mentality as he faces down
the disease.
If Mikal’s strength wavers
for a moment — and he
acknowledges he has good
days and bad days — he has
an army of friends and family
on which he can call for
advice and moral support.
That was on display April
1, when nearly 300 people
turned out for a benefit that
raised more than $7,000 for
Mikal; his wife, Meggan;
and their 5-month-old son,
Andrew.
The fundraiser was held
at Emagine Entertainment’s
Frankfort Theatre, and
featured a raffle drawing,
split-the-pot and showing
of “Beauty and the Beast.”
The number of people who
attended the event necessitated
that Emagine open
a second auditorium to accommodate
them.
Andy had no words to express
how thankful he is that
his and Meggan’s friends organized
the benefit on their
behalf. Alicia Stumpe, of
Frankfort, and Chrissa Flannery,
of Orland Park, were
the driving force behind securing
the space at Emagine,
publicizing the event and
getting 15 area businesses
to donate products, services
and gift cards for the raffle
drawing.
“They did a great job getting
the word out,” Andy
said. “We didn’t know
what to expect, and when
we walked in the door and
it was unbelievable; it was
packed.”
Meggan, a palliative care
nurse at Advocate Children’s
Hospital in Oak Lawn, said
the support of friends, family
and people she and Andy
do not even know has been
overwhelming.
Rock Bottom, where Andy
is an assistant brewer, donated
$5,700 from an event
Pictured are (left to right) Chrissa Flannery, of Orland Park; Alicia Stumpe, of Frankfort,;
and Andy and Meggan Mikal, of Mokena, during a benefit held April 1 at Emagine
Entertainment’s Frankfort Theatre for Andy Mikal, who is battling Stage 4 colon cancer.
Photos by Jason Maholy/22nd Century Media
held in February at its downtown
Chicago location to the
couple. It also raised $7,000
at a benefit for the Mikals
held in March at the Orland
Park restaurant.
“I’m still processing it,”
Meggan said of the turnout
at Emagine. “Alicia and
Chrissa, whatever they did
to get everyone here ... it
was really amazing. We’re
beyond thankful.
“We have good weeks and
we have bad weeks, with
Andy’s chemo journey, and
this was a good week. Seeing
everyone out here today
really makes it a good
week.”
Andy has been working
only two days per month
since beginning chemotherapy
in January. He and Meggan
appreciate the financial
assistance the fundraisers
have provided, but the emotional
support has done much
to raise their spirits, too.
“When we see everyone
out here with their kids and
everything, it gives Andy
something to continue to
fight for,” Meggan said.
“Our family, our friends —
they’re all in our corner,
and it makes everything just
much easier. It makes this
cancer stuff tolerable.”
Lindsay Mayer, of Chicago, holds her raffle prize at the event.
Additionally, Andy has
met people who have been
through chemotherapy and
survived cancer, and is
building a network of friends
on which he can call during
the tougher times.
“I have that person I
can call, that person I can
text to say, ‘Hey, I’m having
a rough day,’ and they
text back and say, ‘Take it
one day at a time. What do
you need? Can I come over
right now?’ When you hear
those things and see everything
people did to support
you, you sit back and think,
‘Man, this is great.’”
Stumpe said the benefit
was important in the sense
it was about “more than just
writing a check.”
“It’s the people coming
together,” she said. “And
we’re just happy to put a
smile on his face and help
him get through this.”
A fundraising page has
been established for the Mikals
at youcaring.com/warriors.
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4/6/17 8:35 AM