BELLVILLE - A Bellville man who was diagnosed with terminal throat cancer in March, is going to have a living funeral Saturday at Storyside Church so he can "hug and love on people" before God calls him to Heaven.
Mike Bryant, 66, a 1976 graduate of Ontario High School, who most recently worked for Central Soft Water/Jackson Well Services, was born May 30, 1958. While he doesn't know his date of death yet, he knows he's headed to Heaven and that is the most important thing of everything that has happened to him, he said.
"Praise the Lord," he said.
"I just think it will be wonderful to be able to hug and love on people and tell them I love you before I go which is something that not too many people have the blessing of doing," Bryant said Monday.
Bryant and his wife Pam contacted the News Journal to share his desire to "reach out to tell everyone he loves them while he is still alive."
Everyone is welcome noon to 4 p.m. at Storyside, 541 Ohio 97.
His wife said there will be tears but also laughter.
Mike Bryant said he never had any health problems not even the flu.
Now, he has undergone 33 radiation treatments and seven chemotherapy treatments. He decided not to have surgery after talking with his physician.
His wife said her husband is at peace as he was saved and baptized.
The couple's prayer list includes Mike staying on Earth a little while longer in order for him to hold his first grandchild due at the end of August.
Mike Bryant, who is 6 feet, 3 inches tall, has a lot of friends.
He has played Santa Claus for years handing out cash at the Speedway on Ohio 97 on Christmas Eve.
"He has a big heart," his wife said.
"He is known for helping others, taking money to someone who was off work because of an injury, he loves to share his cooking, recipes he has created, always lighting up a room with his smile," she added.
The couple has been together 32 years and married two years.
Mike is known for his love of dogs. He and his wife's two purebred bloodhounds — Earl and Marianne — in 2021 made appearances in a country gospel music video titled, "Roots," which used the Ohio State Reformatory, Richland Church of the Brethren and other familiar sites in Richland County as backdrops.
Joe Richard, a local musician now living in Butler, filmed at sites in Richland County. The dogs were featured tracking a prisoner in a swamp along Mansfield-Adario Road.
Mike is known for taking the dogs for rides a couple times a day in the dogs' designated Toyota 4-Runner, something they enjoy. He's also known as the dog park mayor.
Pizza from Fast Eddie's and water will be served at the Living Funeral.
Mike said he wants to thank Storyside Church for giving him access to the facility and giving he and his family a chance to share a testimony of a life serving others, which is the will of God.
lwhitmir@gannett.com
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This article originally appeared on Mansfield News Journal: Bellville man diagnosed with terminal cancer holding living funeral Saturday
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