Kyle’s Story

Site created on August 26, 2019

Welcome to our CaringBridge website. We are using it to keep family and friends updated in one place. We appreciate your support and words of hope and encouragement. Thank you for visiting.


Kyle graduated from Roanoke College, in Salem VA this past May with a BS in Exercise Science and a minor in Public Health. He had an exciting college graduation and he was working this summer as a co-manager/ lifeguard while trying to find his first "real " job.  On Saturday, July 13th, Kyle called to say he was having trouble breathing and felt very anxious because he could not take a deep breath. We ended up in the ER at Rex Hospital and after some tests, we found out that Kyle had pericarditis which is an inflammation around the heart. However, that was not the only problem, the CT scan showed that there was a mass in his chest and that this was causing pericarditis. The news was devastating and after 5 days at Rex and a biopsy, Kyle was sent home with a diagnosis of a rare sarcoma tumor in his chest. Please know that it is rare for a 22 year old to have this type of cancer and in this location of his body. Kyle is currently under care with his sarcoma oncologist at UNC Chapel Hill, an oncology radiologist, a thoracic surgeon and a cardiologist. We have kept news about Kyle private over the past month and half as we tried to digest the diagnosis but we realize that many folks have not heard about Kyle. We apologize to our many good friends that we have not yet told except to say this time has been very emotional and draining.  Kyle has approved this Caring Bridge site as he understands that his and our friends want to help. We have had some wonderful friends support us, pray for us, feed us and take care of us during the first month.

     Currently, Kyle is going to radiation every week day for 25 sessions at UNC in Chapel Hill. After radiation, the plan is to move on to surgery and remove the mass.  The surgery will be 4-6 weeks after radiation ends. Beyond surgery, we are not quite sure what will happen without seeing another PET scan but there is possibly more radiation and quite possibly chemo, but at this point  the doctors are not sure until further tests. 

     Kyle can no longer work so his current job is to fight and get well.  We have been blown away by Kyle's maturity and his strength as it carries us along in this journey.  Kyle has always been health conscious and he loves to work out so why this happened is very hard to understand and accept. Prayers are needed first and foremost as we are in the radiation phase of this journey. I can say that as a mom, that you never want to think that something like this can happen to your child at any age and in no way was I (we) prepared for his diagnosis. The first 3 weeks of this journey was unbearable and waiting to meet with the doctors was painstakingly hard. Even though he has started the first leg of treatment, it is still very emotional, because we have no control and cannot do anything to make it better any quicker. I have fought our insurance company over approving tests for Kyle that should not have been questioned and the whole process is so exhausting. 

     Over the coming weeks, we will try and update the site but words really cannot describe the emotions I feel when writing about Kyle.  Our family of 4 has changed in so many ways as Austin has just started as a freshman at Guilford College. Now that Austin is at college and Kyle is back home, our family dynamics have changed a lot.  We are trying to keep everything as "normal" as possible but it has been difficult. 

     People have asked how they can help.  Our number one request is for you to keep Kyle in your prayers.  His return to good health is obviously our number one priority.  We are figuring out the financial implications of all of this, which are huge for Kyle and us. Some people have offered to bring food to our home.  We so appreciate the offer, but we are good on food right now.  During the weeks of Kyle's surgery and recovery, we may start a food train and if we do, we'll post a link here.  We ask that you keep Kyle and our family in your thoughts and prayers. 

Much love, 

Liz, Tom, Kyle and Austin Rohweder


Newest Update

3 months of Missing Kyle

Journal entry by Elizabeth Rohweder —

It has been 3 months today since Kyle passed and it has been the slowest of days but the quickest of weeks and months.  I still feel like I am in a fog and I find Kyle's passing very difficult for me to comprehend.  Grief counseling has started for all of us. Counseling for me is very helpful because I need some time to talk about Kyle and so it helps to have somebody who wants to listen to me talk about him. My counselor is really awesome and I am very thankful to have her.  I have also been reading about grief on my own and following some Grief sites for parents who have lost children.   I have started to read a book that a good friend and my counselor have recommended to me which is,  It's Ok That You' re Not Ok, by Megan Devine.  I would recommend this book to anybody that has grief in their life or has a friend or family member that is experiencing it, because it addresses what our culture does not understand about grief  ( which is everything!). I wish I had read this book a very long time ago, so I could have been more helpful to those in my life who have  lost loved ones.

Kyle's Endowed Roanoke College scholarship has now met the minimum $25,000  so the scholarship fund has been placed in the college's endowment for 4 quarters.  The recipient  does not receive the full the $25,000, they only get a small portion/ the interest earned  for the scholarship so that is sustainable forever! The first scholarship recipient for Kyle's Scholarship will  be chosen Spring 2023  so a KA brother will receive a scholarship for his Fall 2023 year.  Kyle would be very overwhelmed and grateful by all of the contributions and by how quickly his scholarship became endowed so that he could help a fellow Roanoke College KA brother. We want to  mention that the Go Fund Me for Kyle will be closed at the end of September,  we appreciate all of the contributions over the past 3 years and the help it provided Kyle and our family but it is time to close it.  If you do feel compelled to give in honor of Kyle, please remember that you may give to Kyle's Endowed Scholarship fund at anytime.

The Roanoke College scholarship link is : 

https://www.givecampus.com/campaigns/28312/donations/new

Love, 

Liz, Tom,  Austin and Stormie

 

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