Peter Everett

Before he became a patient, Pete was an artist.

Photography wasn’t just his career—it was his way of seeing the world. Through his camera, he captured life’s biggest moments and its quietest ones, creating memories that families will treasure for a lifetime. Whether he was behind the lens, building something with his hands, or solving a problem no one else could figure out, Pete has always been a creator at heart.

He has always been someone who could make something out of nothing. If it was broken, he could fix it. If it didn’t exist, he could build it. If someone needed help, Pete was already on his way before they even had to ask. To so many people, he was the one you called when you needed a problem solved, a project finished, or simply someone who would show up without hesitation.

For nearly 40 years, he’s been a devoted husband to our mom, Barb, building a life and raising a family together through every season of life.

To his daughters, he’ll always be Daddy—our protector, our safe place, and, for most of our lives, someone we truly believed was invincible.

To his five grandchildren, he’s simply Papa—the best one they could ever ask for.

To the hundreds of dancers who walked through the doors of our family’s dance studio over the years, he became “Papa Pete” or “Swag Pete”—the beloved prop dad who cheered them on, made them feel important, and somehow became a father figure to so many kids who weren’t his own.

Pete has never been someone who could sit still. If he wasn’t offshore fishing, he was planning the next trip, skiing with family, working on a new project, or passionately yelling at the TV when the Eagles found yet another way to blow a lead. One of his greatest joys over the last 10 years has been taking his 120-pound Malamute, Lua, for long walks—a simple part of everyday life that has become one of the things he misses most. He has always found humor in life’s hardest moments and has spent his life making other people’s burdens a little lighter.

Today, life looks very different.

Ten years ago, Pete was diagnosed with Pulmonary Fibrosis caused by MPA Vasculitis, an autoimmune disease, along with Bronchiectasis. These progressive lung diseases have slowly stolen the things so many of us take for granted. The man who was always moving now struggles just to catch his breath and relies on around-the-clock oxygen. The artist who loved to sing and play guitar has lost his voice because of the medications keeping him alive. Even carrying on a conversation has become exhausting.

Pete is now in the active evaluation process for a life-saving double lung transplant at UF Health Shands Hospital in Gainesville, Florida.

While this transplant offers hope, it also brings an overwhelming financial burden. Because Pete can no longer work, everyday expenses have become difficult to manage. The transplant process also requires frequent travel to Gainesville, extended lodging during recovery, medical deductibles, co-pays, and lifelong anti-rejection medications.

For someone who has spent his entire life helping everyone else, asking for help is one of the hardest things he’s ever had to do.

That’s why we’re asking on his behalf.

Every donation, no matter the amount, helps lift a little of the financial burden so Pete can focus on what matters most—getting the second chance he deserves.

More than anything, we hope this transplant gives him the chance to simply live again—to walk Lua around the neighborhood, spend time with his wife, daughters, and grandchildren, pick up his guitar, and maybe one day hold a camera in his hands again.

If you’re unable to give, sharing his story means just as much. And if you haven’t already, please consider registering as an organ donor. One decision has the power to save lives and give families more time with the people they love.

Our greatest hope is simple: that one day Pete can once again be the full-of-life man his grandchildren know as Papa, the dad we’ve always looked up to, the friend so many people have counted on for years, and the artist who has spent a lifetime creating memories for everyone around him.

From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for your kindness, your prayers, and for standing beside our family during the hardest chapter of our lives.