Alive patient, Jeffrey Wheeler, pictured with his Chiefs banner in his room at the Nashville residence.
Published on February 28, 2023
Jeffrey Wheeler says if he had known about hospice care sooner, he would have been volunteering as a companion to those who don’t have visitors or loved ones nearby. Instead, he’s taking the opportunity while he’s at Alive’s residence in Nashville to educate others. “I want to help those who are walking behind me,” he says. “Don’t take anything for granted in this life. Not a single moment.”
About Alive he says, “They’re great to me here. They’ve made me very comfortable, and I’d tell others to count on them.”
A truck driver from Kansas, Jeffrey loves riding his Harley through the beautiful countryside of Arkansas in his free time. He’s also a loyal Chiefs fan. He’s made himself at home in his room at Alive with his favorite snacks on hand (tootsie rolls) and gifts from friends including a stuffed biker bear and a Chiefs banner signed by his friends at his neighborhood watering hole, The Lost Bar.
Jeffrey moved to Nashville to be closer to his two daughters after a diagnosis of colon cancer. He had been experiencing back pain for some time when a girlfriend convinced him to see a doctor. It turned out the pain was the result of stage four cancer.
“It can be frightening, but I try to stay positive. I’ve got my family and my faith,” Jeffrey says.