This dad wrote his own very funny, very moving obituary

Mon, 01 Dec, 2014 - 14:21

Ciara Flaherty

Last week, art director Aaron Pumort passed away aged 35, leaving wife Nora and their son, Ralphie, behind.

Aaron was diagnosed with brain cancer back in 2011 and his wife Nora has documented their story on her blog, My Husband’s Tumor. As the tagline of her blog says, their’s “is not a cancer story, it's a love story. With some cancer.”

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Before he died, Aaron - with some help from Nora - wrote his obituary which appeared in the Star Tribune yesterday.

And it manages to be very funny and incredibly touching at the same time.

Nora posted the obit with this message:

“I’ve never laughed and cried more in one sitting, but I’m so glad we got to do this. I love this man so damn much.”

Get the tissues ready.

My Husband's Tumor

“Purmort, Aaron Joseph age 35, died peacefully at home on November 25 after complications from a radioactive spider bite that led to years of crime-fighting and a years long battle with a nefarious criminal named Cancer, who has plagued our society for far too long. Civilians will recognize him best as Spider-Man, and thank him for his many years of service protecting our city.

“His family knew him only as a kind and mild-mannered Art Director, a designer of websites and t-shirts, and concert posters who always had the right cardigan and the right thing to say (even if it was wildly inappropriate). Aaron was known for his long, entertaining stories, which he loved to repeat often.

“In high school, he was in the band The Asparagus Children, which reached critical acclaim in the northern suburbs. As an adult, he graduated from the College of Visual Arts (which also died an untimely death recently) and worked in several agencies around Minneapolis, settling in as an Interactive Associate Creative Director at Colle + McVoy. Aaron was a comic book aficionado, a pop-culture encyclopedia and always the most fun person at any party.

“He is survived by his parents Bill and Kim Kuhlmeyer, father Mark Purmort (Patricia, Autumn, Aly), sisters Erika and Nicole, first wife Gwen Stefani, current wife Nora and their son Ralph, who will grow up to avenge his father's untimely death.”

A fundraising page has been set up to cover Aaron’s hospice costs and help Nora and Ralphie over the next few months. The page has surpassed its target of $100,000 with 25 days to go.