Marshall Henry Hunt, 34, of Tallahassee, Florida, ended his battle with cancer in the comfort of his own home, surrounded by his family on the morning of November 13, 2020.
Marshall is preceded in death by his maternal grandfather Edward Hanson Connor, paternal grandparents Paul Henry Hunt and Mary Nell Camp Hunt, and nephew Austin Connor Hunt. He is survived by his wife Megan Duff Hunt, parents Tim and Emily Hunt, maternal grandmother Emily Pierce Connor, siblings Barrett Hunt and Laurel Wolcott, Connor Hunt and Shelby Tromly, Ryan and Emmy Hunt McCoy, Jay and Sally Page Hunt McKinney, father-in-law and mother-in-law Dave and Nancy Duff, siblings in-law Tim and Trisha Duff, John Martin and Sarah Duff Wood, as well as countless cousins, friends, nieces, nephews, and extended family. Born August 13, 1986 in Knoxville, Tennessee, Marshall moved to Tallahassee at the age of 2. He was one of five children and grew up in the Wildwood Presbyterian Church community. He attended Kate Sullivan Elementary, Cobb and Raa Middle Schools, and was a 2005 graduate of Leon High School and a 4-year varsity letterman on the soccer team. Marshall had an enduring love of the outdoors and earned the rank of Eagle Scout at the age of 16. After graduating from Florida State University in 2011, he spent time working in Mammoth, California. He then accepted a position with McKesson Medical which took him to Charlotte, North Carolina, and eventually Atlanta, Georgia before settling back in Tallahassee. In 2018, he married the love of his life Megan and began his career with Redwire Security. He spent many summers with family and friends at his second home in St. Teresa Beach, and in recent years always bringing along his beloved dog Bogey. His passion for the outdoors included boating, fishing, hiking, and camping. He not only loved nature but also music, especially when the two were combined. He found joy on God's earth experiencing live music at venues and festivals across the country with those he loved. Marshall left this world knowing true love through his wife Megan and the everlasting love of his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. He peacefully awaited losing his battle with cancer knowing he would spend eternity in the glory of God's kingdom. A remembrance service was held Wednesday, November 18, 2020 at Wildwood Presbyterian Church in Tallahassee, FL. A recording of the service and video of the slideshow are available here. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made at https://www.ourmanmarshall.com/support which will go towards cancer research and resources. The Hunt and Duff families would like to thank the Big Bend Hospice for their care and support as well as the many doctors who helped Marshall in his fight against cancer - his team of specialists at Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville and Sarah Cannon Research Institute in Nashville, Dr. Block with the Block Center for Integrative Cancer Treatment in Chicago, and Dr. Broeseker with Tallahassee Memorial Cancer Center.
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Our latest update came at the end of June as Marshall wrapped up the clinical trial at Sara Cannon in Nashville - his third round of chemotherapy. He received mixed results from this treatment which led his team of doctors to push for a different route.
Moving away from the clinical trial, Marshall started radiation seed therapy in mid-July - a treatment while performed at Sara Cannon in Nashville, allowed him and Megan to head home to Tallahassee for the 12-week duration the seeds would be in his liver. After a difficult 6 weeks, Marshall received scans to monitor the progress of the treatment. Scans revealed the radiation seed therapy was not successful and the cancer had spread within his liver. For those who may not be as close to Marshall's story, we do want to share his diagnosis in January was, in fact, labeled terminal. Therefore, while his cancer can be battled, it is incredibly rare, aggressive, and ultimately incurable. Marshall has remained positive and steadfast in his faith in God as he undertook the fight of his life - hoping to prolong his time here with us and his truly incredible wife, Megan. With your support along with Marshall and Megan's sacrifices, grateful demeanor, and trust in God, he was able to surpass his initial life expectancy of six months. When Marshall received the update that the radiation therapy was not successful, additional avenues for treatment were discussed amongst he and his team of doctors. After much thought and prayer, Marshall decided to no longer undergo treatment, choosing quality of life as he closes out his battle with cancer. He and Megan have set up in-home hospice care for the next stage. They have also established weekly in-home visits from the pastor who married them and hope to spend this time with family and loved ones. Marshall, Megan, and their families are incredibly grateful for the love, support, and prayers that have been sent their way this past year. They would like to individually thank each and every one of you who have played a part in lifting up our man Marshall. Marshall's greatest hero in this journey has been his wife, Megan. Whether it was weeks sleeping in the hospital after his open gastrectomy or uprooting their lives to relocate to Nashville for 3 months, she has been his rock for every step of the way and a grounding presence for our family. Her sacrifice and commitment are immeasurable. We are eternally grateful God brought Megan into Marshall's life and that he has had the blessing of knowing such a selfless love. While we may not understand the path ahead, we have faith in God's plan. Please keep Marshall and Megan in your prayers - that they may know comfort, peace, and love during this time. Philippians 4:13 - I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Marshall and Megan would like to thank everyone for their ongoing love, support, and prayers. Your generosity has enabled them to move to Nashville for the last 3 months while Marshall undergoes treatment at the Sara Cannon Research Institute. Treatment has gone well so far, and Marshall is feeling good, all considering - we are very hopeful this trial has been the right fit for his treatment plan.
M&M have spent their time in Nashville hosting visiting family and keeping Marshall healthy by enjoying the great outdoors and stunning nature the Nashville area has to offer - Bogey too! They were even able to squeeze in a trip to St. Teresa between treatments to enjoy some well-deserved beach time. Marshall will soon find out the results from this round of treatment, and the doctors will plan a course of action from there. We will provide an update once a plan is in place. Thank you again for all you have done to make Marshall's journey as smooth as possible. God Bless. Shortly after M&M’s trip to Chicago to visit the Block Center, Marshall received the results from his first scans since his surgery in November. Unfortunately, the scans revealed new lesions in his liver.
With this news came new decisions to be made about Marshall’s course of treatment. After consulting with his doctors, it became apparent Marshall would find the most opportunities working with a cutting edge cancer center with access to advanced technology through clinical trials. Thanks to amazing family friends, Marshall was referred to the Sarah Cannon Research Institute (SCRI) in Nashville, Tennessee - a cancer center known for its oncology trials. M&M went to Nashville in early March to visit Sarah Cannon. Before his appointment, Marshall and Megan spent a few days experiencing the city. Marshall's Uncle, David Connor, is a Nashville local and alongside the the rest of the extended Connor family, arranged for M&M to stay in the Hermitage hotel for the weekend. David also sent M&M to attend the To Nashville with Love concert benefiting victims of the March 2020 tornado. Thank you to our Connor family for making their weekend unforgettable! Following Marshall’s appointment at Sarah Cannon, we got the great news that he had been accepted into at least 1 trial which would begin on March 17th. Since then, Marshall has been accepted into more clinical trials at SCRI giving him many courses of action. With this news, M&M made the decision to move to Nashville for the foreseeable future so Marshall can settle in during his treatment. They packed up their things and headed to Tennessee on March 16th. They are renting an adorable house on the east side of the city where they can feel at home and even bring their dog Bogey along for the journey. Marshall and Megan want to especially thank you for all your support - your generosity allowed them to find this lovely place to live while Marshall undergoes treatment. Our family is incredibly grateful to the close family friends who helped make these connections with Sarah Cannon and for your advice and encouragement along the way. We thank God for bringing these opportunities to Marshall and Megan and thank all of our family and friends for your love, support, and constant prayers. God is truly at work in Marshall and Megan’s lives. Please continue to share his story and pray for them as they embark on their next chapter. Last week, we traveled to Chicago to visit The Block Center - an integrative cancer treatment center. We were able to enjoy the city the weekend before our appointment on Monday, February 3rd. Lucky for us, the weather was fairly pleasant for Chicago in February. We explored the city, ate delicious food, and caught a comedy show at Second City theatre. We were also treated to a special dinner at RM-Seafood (a new restaurant in downtown Chicago). Sally Page's friends, Kevin and Amber Smith at The Number Project set up a specialized menu just for Marsh.
At our appointment, we met with Dr. Block and his team of specialists. Marshall received a new specialized diet plan, daily supplements, and work out plan. Dr. Block also discussed his insight on alternative treatments and how he can help Marshall moving forward at his center. We look forward to continue working with Dr. Block. We would like to thank everyone who has contributed to the fund so far, we would not be able to take full advantage of all the Block Center has to offer without you. We feel very blessed and love you all. - M&M From the Hunt Family: Based on this visit to The Block Center, M&M feel this will be the best course of action for Marshall’s path forward; therefore, they will likely be spending extended periods of time in Chicago - what could be several months. For anyone with contacts in the Chicago area, we are currently looking for short-term, furnished rentals in the Skokie or Evanston areas. Please share! All our love. This week, Marshall was able to have his feeding tube removed - something he was very thrilled to put behind him. Hooray!
Marshall and Megan also made their first big decision on Marshall's path forward since hearing his prognosis in December. They have decided to visit the renowned Block Center in Chicago, IL - a center for integrative cancer treatment. They are looking forward to Marshall's appointment there on February 3rd and are excited to hear how the Block Center can assist in Marshall's fight. We are so incredibly thankful for the outpouring of love and support for Marshall and his wife Megan. We've created this blog to keep our loved ones up to date on Marshall's plan and progress, to spread his unique story, and to provide a way for others to help him in his fight against cancer.
In May of 2019, after performing an upper endoscopy, doctors discovered a malignant tumor in Marshall’s stomach. From there, he was diagnosed with a form of stomach cancer known as Adenocarcinoma. Soon after his diagnosis, the dedicated physicians and specialists at Tallahassee Memorial Cancer Center and The Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville formed a treatment plan tailored to Marshall’s condition.
In the span of 5 difficult months, Marshall endured 8 rounds of chemotherapy, leading to an eventual surgery in November. Known as an open gastrectomy, this procedure involves the removal of the entire stomach, and likely a challenging recovery. The surgery was a success. Marshall responded well and was soon on the road to recovery and a cancer-free life. However, subsequent biopsies revealed a different story. Through the post-surgery tests, doctors discovered that the original tumor contained an extremely rare and aggressive form of cancer—a poorly differentiated carcinoma with squamous differentiation. There are very few cases of this particular cancer, and no 2 cases are alike—which means the data needed to find necessary treatment is unfortunately limited. Due to the dangerous and unpredictable nature of this kind of cancer, Marshall’s doctors suggest a strong possibility that it could return quickly and more aggressively. To find answers for Marshall, specialists are currently exploring both conventional and unconventional treatment plans, including new medical trials. For Marshall, his next steps include monthly immunotherapy treatments along with alternative therapies and specialized dieting. Given Marshall’s youth, he and his team of doctors are in agreement to consider every angle and every form of treatment. Moving forward, there will be a lot of upcoming travel to specialized medical centers in order to meet with doctors, seek more opinions and explore other forms of treatment. Unfortunately, not all treatments are covered by insurance. In support of our man Marshall, we’re giving everyone the opportunity to help. Medical bills are certainly a factor, but the way forward also includes a new, costly diet along with travel and accommodations. We’re grateful for any and all donations—there’s no amount too small. Everything goes directly to Marshall’s fight to stay healthy and to keep pushing what’s possible. Any unused contributions will be donated to TMH Cancer Center. Marshall is inspired and encouraged by the love and support he’s experienced along the way. He’d like to give a sincere thank you to God, his wife Megan, his doctors at Mayo and TMH, his family, friends, and his work family (the amazing team at Redwire). Because of this incredible all-star lineup of support, our man’s difficult journey has been lifted by strength and positivity. We all feel the love. Especially Marshall. |
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