Fish Fry to Benefit Gonzalez Family

This Fish Fry will benefit the Gonzalez family. Saul Gonzalez was recently diagnosed with stage 4 cancer. Our goal is to raise enough money to send Saul, his wife Jivan, and their three children on a vacation of a lifetime to Disney World. Plates are $12 and will include locally caught fish, coleslaw, and beans. There will be a bake sale on site as well. So open your wallets and your hearts, while enjoying a delicious locally caught meal.

The Ocracoke community is coming together to benefit Saul and Jivan and their kids. The family lives in Kill Devil Hills, but has close ties to Ocracoke. Jivan's mom is Mary Bassell, an artist who lives and paints on the island. (Read more about her here). Jivan's brother, Micah Bassell, lives here, too. Jivan and Saul have many good friends on Ocracoke. 

Saul was diagnosed in May with a recurrence of a rare cancer, alveolar soft tissue sarcoma, which has metastasized into his lungs. It doesn't respond to chemotherapy or radiation, so he's being treated with an experimental medication, an immune targeted therapy, which doctors hope will stop or slow the growth of the cancer. Alveolar soft tissue sarcoma is so rare (less than 1% of cancers), there's not much research or treatment available. Because of his illness and the side effects of his medication, Saul is not currently able to work.

Jivan is an ER nurse at the Outer Banks Hospital. They have three adorable kids: Emma, 7, who is going into 2nd grade, Adrian, 3, and Nicolas, 8 months. 

Jivan is grateful to the Ocracoke community for the upcoming Fish Fry. "We are very thankful to be a part of such an awesome area!" she said. "I wouldn't wish this on anyone but everyone's love and support helps us stay positive!"

There is also a GoFundMe account page set up for the family, so you share some love even if you can't make it to the Fish Fry.

*Note: the original story gave the date as August 24th, but the Fish Fry is actually on Thursday, August 25th.