​James Allen Bess

James was an Army veteran man in the prime of his life – 38 years old – supporting his family, until one day he was diagnosed with a rare form of terminal brain cancer and given at most six months to live! On that day – April 13, 1998 – he faced the battle of a lifetime against Glioblastoma-Multiform. God’s grace and mercy were evident over the next four years as, together with his family, he fought the disease with everything he had. His unwavering faith spurred them on to conquer the difficult day‐to‐day battles and make frequent sacrifices to keep the family afloat. At the worst of times, he remained strong.

The fight ended for my dad on June 18, 2002, but not the powerful and eternal legacy he passed on to my siblings and me, for which I am so grateful. His faith and sense of family. His passionate love for others. His passion for music, especially country music such as Garth Brooks. Like many adults struggling with a life-threatening illness, my father wanted to experience life to the fullest while he had the chance. Because of that I made it my mission to arrange a meet‐and‐greet for him with Mr. Brooks, but without connections and resources, I was unable to make it happen.

The goal and purpose of the James Bess Foundation is to provide a solution to this problem, in honor of the full and exciting life my father lived despite vexing trials and disappointments. Everyone deserves to have their dreams fulfilled, including adults.

​Life to the fullest! 

Sincerely,
Mindy Bess