Mokena Dad In Fight For Life Treated To Lights, 'Magical' Night

MOKENA, IL — A Mokena father facing a terminal diagnosis was treated to some special memories with his family Saturday. A swift-moving team of 50 volunteers pulled up to their home, a scene in need of some serious holiday cheer.

The Patras family—Katie, Kevin, 6-year-old Jake, and 4-year-old Caleb—watched as sure-footed firefighters and other elves took to the roof to tackle a task that seemed daunting in the face of Kevin's diagnosis: Christmas lights.

It was firefighters spilling out of engines with what seemed to be a pretty seamless plan of attack for the home on Elm Avenue—grab the Tupperwares, sort the string lights, hang the ornaments on tree branches, get the extension cords ready. It was sirens flashing, ladder up to reach the roof of the family's home. There were few idle hands as they responded to this very important call. Christmas music blared, as family and friends watched the operation in motion.

"It means a lot, because over the holidays, it’s not something you think of, or you don't really feel in the mood to decorate," Katie Patras said.

The evening was part of Finley Forever Foundation's "Lights and Ladders Brigade," an organized effort to plot a course to decorate the homes of families fighting illness during the holidays. Finley Forever Founder Dan Bracken started the foundation, and later the brigade, following the Sept. 2020 death of his 2-year-old daughter Finley, less than a year after she was diagnosed with neuroblastoma. Firefighters from across three states volunteer their time to decorate the homes of multiple recipients. This was the brigade's second year expanding to the Lincoln-Way area, and even Santa made an appearance.

Kevin Patras, now in his early 40s, was first diagnosed with metastatic melanoma in 2019. In August, they learned it has progressed to Leptomeningeal disease, or when cancer cells migrate to the cerebrospinal fluid. It is a terminal diagnosis, Katie Patras said.

Doctors said they hoped it would make it to Christmas.

"He's actually defying all expectations," Katie said. "He’s still very functional, very active with the boys and can play with them."

Bracken remembers what it feels like to be staring down such a grim situation during what's supposed to be a cheerful season. It can be impossible to find any optimism.

"When we were going through our battle with cancer, my dad and brother came over and forcefully made us decorate the house," Bracken told Patch previously.. "It was in November, it's the last thing a family's worried about, is decorating the house, when you're dealing with this.

"... Money's great, emotional support's great, food trains are great—everything's great—but what can we do that takes a burden off the family? You never know when your last Christmas will be."

The effort is not lost on Patras, who said she couldn't muster up the will to decorate inside her home this year, and was grateful for friends who stepped in. She watched with a smile as volunteers took to their roof, positioned figurines—executing a design by Bracken's wife Lacey.

"I can’t really even put it in words," she said. "It’s just so neat that so many volunteers come out for people they don’t even know, just to make people feel really good for the holidays. It’s important to us for the boys to have these memories with Kevin."

The brigade functions solely from donations as well as sales of yard signs, sponsorships, and themed merchandise. In total, this year they raised $40,000 for the project, also visiting South Side homes on Dec. 2. This year, the brigade decorated 13 homes. Every bit of money raised is given right back to the families involved.

"We help every family out with their electrical bill, because lights are very expensive," Bracken said. "Everything we bring in, is put right back out."

Patras, a teacher in New Lenox, said her family has also received support from other foundations such as Christmas Without Cancer, as well as her husband's union, IBEW Local 134.

Saturday's decorating crew came from departments including Oak Lawn, Posen, Garden Homes, Calumet City, Chicago, New Lenox, Mokena, Frankfort, Manhattan, Flossmoor, Country Club Hills, East St. Louis, St. Louis, and Milwaukee, to name a few, Bracken said. The campaign also gets a major boost from donors such as Alsip Home and Nursery and Home Depot. Also pitching in at the Patras home were Joey's Red Hots, and Frankie's Est. 1988.

"For me personally, it’s taking away that 'unknown,'" Bracken said. "They probably never would have had the time to do this. It’s being able to show up, put some lights up have all my family friends, complete strangers bring the community together. Hang the lights, and leave them with this forever. It’s theirs."

Saturday's efforts were so appreciated, Patras said.

"It's really amazing, what they do for families," she said. "I thought I knew what to expect by watching the clips of prior Lights & Ladder Brigades, but experiencing it all in person was just magical.

"Reflecting on it all makes me realize how many volunteers and hours it took to make this happen for us and the other families. My family and friends can’t wait to volunteer with them in future years! It was amazing."

A Home Depot store located in Alsip joined this year's brigade, pitching in $5,000 and also stopping by to witness the magic.

"It’s a worthy cause," said Armondo Garcia, of Home Deport. "We’re happy we got involved in it, we’ll be involved next year, as well, and hopefully it just keeps getting bigger and bigger."

Garcia first met the Bracken family when Dan and Lacey were shopping for supplies the Tuesday before Thanksgiving. Garcia is modest about how much they helped, Bracken said.

"We bought so much stuff that we had to rent a box truck to bring it back," Bracken said, laughing. "It was awesome."

Garcia even let them buy a floor display—a giant, animated Grinch that now lives at the home of an Oak Lawn Lights and Ladders recipient.

"The little boy was just enamored," Bracken said. "They were second to none."
Garcia said they're happy to be a part of it.

"That’s what we’re about—giving back to the community."

After the holidays have wrapped, each recipient gets to keep all the decorations, Bracken noted. The brigade means so much to Bracken.

"It’s so cool," Bracken said, "... just to see everybody out here, truly because it's the right thing to do, no other reason."

Providing support for families in a position he remembers so clearly is invaluable to him—even if it means his own house gets put on the back burner.

"They don’t have to worry about it," Bracken said, of helping the families. "It’s an easy thing to do—except for at your own house."

He laughed.

"... I’m still decorating our house."