Brad loved the stars as a dedicated astronomer and according to family and friends, he could build and fix anything. It was a gift, and Brad used his gift to help anyone and everyone and even to earn awards as an amateur builder of power reflector telescopes.

In August 2010 Brad lost a two-year battle with brain cancer. When he was first diagnosed, he was given only 2 to 6 month to live, but refused to give up and beat the odds. Close family friend Alli Steblina described Brad as “my father’s best friend when I was growing up and an extended member of our family.”

Alli’s father, Vladimir Steblina, wrote about Brad as “the real thing” when it came to his Christian walk. “There was not a mean bone in his body. We never heard a discouraging word. He did not boast, lie, cheat or do any of those other things that cause humans to fall short. I ended up being a better person for having known Brad.”

Alli and her friend Cheree Best at the Seattle-based weekly newspaper The Stranger are promoting a benefit evening at The Sunset in Ballard, Friday, Feb. 17th. Local musicians have donated their time and talents and all the proceeds will go to the Chris Elliott Fund/The Elliott Foundation.

You can purchase tickets through The Stranger’s events page today!

I am so inspired when family members and friends keep fighting to end brain cancer and seek to turn their loss into greater hope for others. Alli and Cheree understand that every brain cancer patient must have the information and support that The Elliott Foundation provides.

Help promote this event on your personal Facebook pages and through Twitter.