Prior to losing his battle to pancreatic cancer, Andy Peek was president of the largest video marketer of livestock across the western United States and was loved by thousands from the rancher community. Andy’s siblings continue to operate the family ranching business that was started by Ellington and Betty Peek in 1948. The message below is from Andy’s friend and fellow cowboy Herb Holzapfel, who is committed to our cause for the cure!
When I lost my friend Andy Peek to pancreatic cancer, I made a pledge to offer one animal to be sold at the Western Video Market sale in Reno every year until they find a cure. All of the proceeds go to the Hirshberg Foundation for Pancreatic Cancer Research at UCLA. Each year, the animal would be the first pick of 200 bull calves or a heifer that I raise, whichever the highest bidder prefers. Thanks to the generosity of ranchers, since 2009 we have raised $74,000. The Peeks are wonderful people and they were surprised when I offered my idea, and they’re still surprised every year when I say, “Well, they have not found the cure yet, so here is another bull!” It’s a self-serving pledge because pancreatic cancer is a silent killer, and it could be me, it could be someone in my family. I made the pledge to help because I liked Andy Peek so much, and I did it out of love for the Peek family. I want the disease that took him from all of us to be stopped!
