Porter Family: Planned Gift Offers a Beacon of Light for Those Suffering
Monica Porter is using her estate plan to support awareness and care for behavioral health and cancer treatment at Vail Health.
After completing high school, Monica Porter left her hometown of Trieste, Italy, to pursue her dream of studying in the United States. This move led to a successful career in business management and operations.
Monica’s career brought her to many cities around the world, including London and São Paulo, Brazil, where she met her husband, Daniel. Shortly after the Porters settled down in Colorado, excited about their new family’s future, Monica’s family in Italy would experience deep suffering that she could have never anticipated.
Monica’s mother, Claudia, was diagnosed with cancer. “It was downhill for the whole family. It was extremely tough on my father, Ferruccio. My brother, Luca, was unstable and started to have psychotic events,” says Monica.
“In about four years, they all passed away.” Monica’s mother passed away from cancer, followed by her father from a heart attack. She then lost her brother, who took his own life after struggling with mental health issues.
Looking Forward With Hope
After this tragic loss, the Porters made estate planning a priority in their life. They have made planned gifts to Eagle Valley Behavioral Health, an outreach of Vail Health, and Harold W. & Mary Louise Shaw Cancer Center, a service of Vail Health.
Monica hopes that sharing her story will inspire others to learn more about behavioral health and understand that it could happen to anyone. “It's a very delicate side of my life, but I want to spread a message that mental health is real.”
Giving back gives her peace of mind knowing they are helping others in need—in cancer and mental health—two areas that have touched her profoundly.
“It’s hard to walk through difficult moments in your life, but if I know that what I’m doing is going to give somebody else hope, I would do it again.”
Like Monica, you can ensure your support for a program or area close to your heart with a planned gift. Contact Aaron Ciszek at 970.569.7574 or aaronc@vailhealth.org or Anne Walters at 970.569.7648 or anne.walters@vailhealth.org to learn more about your options.