A rock band founder has some sad news to share with fans. Dennis Pepa, a founding member of the rock band Death Angel, has revealed a stage 4 duodenal cancer diagnosis. He is asking for help paying for treatment to support his family.
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"There's still so much I want to stick around for," Pepa wrote in a statement on GoFundMe campaign. Doctors first diagnosed the rock band founder in February. Now, his family faces treatment expenses alongside the bills that continue arriving at home "I don't need anything extravagant."
Additionally, the rock band founder hopes to pursue treatment at the Immunocine Cancer Center in Mexico. Donations will help cover flights, accommodation, groceries and household costs.
His plans remain conditional. In the statement, Pepa said the center must confirm whether he can proceed, and he still needs to establish the cost of his care. He expects to need a place to stay for approximately six weeks.
Rock Band Founder Has Stage 4 Cancer
Death Angel has also shared the campaign, urging fans to support a musician whose connection to the band goes back more than four decades. "Let's show Dennis he's not alone fighting this battle," the group wrote.
Pepa was a founding member of Death Angel, stretching back to 1982. He first sang vocals before moving to bass and backup vocals. He left the group in 1991 before returning in 2001. He played until 2008, performing his final show at San Francisco's Grand Ballroom that October.
In its appeal, Death Angel credited his role in shaping the genre and encouraged fans to offer whatever support they could.
Pepa's own message centers on his family. He wants to watch his sons, Maddox, 22, and Roman, 19, build their lives, and he hopes to marry his fiancée, Gemalyn.
He wrote, "I want to carry on watching my sons Maddox (22) and Roman (19) grow and build lives of their own. And I want to be beside them, helping them to continue becoming strong, compassionate men. I want to marry my fiancée, Gemalyn, and continue being present for the people I love most. As a family we have so many plans, so many memories to create, and so many special moments ahead of us."
