Darrell Garza is no stranger to the operating room. Born with a genetic eye disease that eventually led to blindness, he has undergone 30 procedures related to his condition over the course of his life. As a young adult, he was diagnosed with testicular cancer twice, leading to even more surgeries. Today, at 36 years old, he is quick to …

A first-generation American, Alejandra Perez, 35, grew up in McAllen, Texas with her mom and two older sisters. Only two years apart, Alejandra and her sister Perla have been best friends their whole lives. As they grew up, Alejandra moved to Austin while Perla settled in Houston, but the two remain in frequent contact. On Easter weekend in 2023, Alejandra …

For Scott White, 67, the Texas two-step comes naturally. Scott says his mother and stepfather were the smoothest dancers he ever saw. His mother owned a bar in Austin for 45 years, where the dance floor was open and country music filled the air, so Scott knew all the best moves.  “I love to dance, I love music, and I …

Fredella Prather, 59, is a self-described doer, fixer, and control freak. A resident of Georgetown and married to her husband Donnie for 25 years, Fredella is incredibly independent and, as she says, “not great at receiving.” Fredella was firm that she was not going to participate in regular cancer screenings like getting a mammogram or a colonoscopy. Despite a family …

Mike Rasnick, 64, was born and raised in Houston. School bored him. He couldn’t wait to get home each day, jump on his horse, grab his pellet gun, and head to the creek. After graduating high school, he found himself in and out of what he called various “situations.” Mike ran his own carpet-cleaning business and didn’t really ever consider …

It was Mother’s Day weekend, 2021, and Brooke Hasty was getting dressed for the day. As she put on her shirt, she felt something in her right breast. “That’s odd,” she said and made a mental note to follow up with her gynecologist. Breast cancer wasn’t something Brooke had ever thought about. She was 39, and with no family history …

In September 2022, Mark Tempelmeyer, 64, received a call that changed his life. Following his most recent prostate cancer screening, his prostate-specific antigen, or PSA, score was concerning. The very next day, Hurricane Ian hit the coast of Florida, devastating the community where he and his wife, Helene, were living. ‘Find me the best in Austin’ Mark and Helene, both …

The devastating inferno that struck Bastrop County in 2011 is considered the most destructive wildfire in Texas history. For Anita Rentfro, losing her home in that fire was the beginning of a series of family losses and challenges. Now age 52, and living in Paige, Texas, Anita has endured much. In 2011, her family lost their home in the Bastrop …

Julee Ware, 65, looks at her life as a series of adventures. A former lead singer and guitarist in a rock-and-roll band, low-carb food innovator, and private investigator who started her own business eight years ago, her life story has been anything but ordinary. There was no way an unexpected diagnosis of cervical cancer would knock her down and keep …

One of Robert Walker’s favorite quotes is, “When you are faced with problems, you face it head on, and you give your best fight.” No truer words can be spoken by someone who was diagnosed with stage IV pancreatic cancer and continues to fight this deadly disease.   Born and raised in Austin, Robert, 68, has lived in the capital …