My brother Jesse Zarr, was taken from this world on January 16, 2026 after a 20+ month battle with pancreatic cancer. He fought bravely but in the end this terrible disease took him as it has many others.
Jesse was devoted to family, a dependable friend, diligent worker, dog lover, amazing chef, skilled golfer and a kind soul. One of the good ones taken away from us way too soon. He will be dearly missed. If interested in knowing more about my brother, please see the remembrance below.
To honor my brother, my wife, Lisa Rizzo-Zarr, and I are participating in the PanCAN Purple Stride event to raise funds to support those impacted by pancreatic cancer and to ensure vital research continues in the search to find a cure for this awful disease.
A gift of any size will provide much-needed hope for a brighter future for the entire pancreatic cancer community.
Again, thank you for supporting us and everyone affected by pancreatic cancer. We’re grateful for you and your support!
Jesse’s cancer fight started April 19, 2024. Jesse did not share in great detail what he had gone through during this fight. In typical Jesse fashion, he downplayed what was ailing him. Always more focused on how others were doing rather than dwelling on himself. If anyone asked how he was feeling, his typical response was “I’m good, good” and then quickly shifted the discussion to a different, unrelated topic.
I would like to take some time to share a little of Jesse’s 20+ month battle
- He completed 39 chemotherapy treatments
- He also completed 3 weeks of radiation treatments – 15 in total
- Plus, the many blood draws, CT/MRI scans, tumor biopsies, and doctor appointments
- Jesse logged nearly 15,000 miles traveling to Bismarck for chemotherapy, Fargo for tumor biopsies, and Rochester, Minnesota to meet with Mayo oncologists.
- That total does not include the two flights to Boston to meet specialists at Dana Farber and Mass General Hospital
He fought with all he had in hopes of getting to a clinical trial or a medical breakthrough that never arrived, but through this entire cancer journey his character had shown through from first diagnosis to his last days here with us.
Jesse was known for his strong work ethic. Always ready to get the job done. This did not change when he was first diagnosed with cancer. When stomach pain drove Jesse to the hospital and the doctors delivered the grim news that he likely had pancreatic cancer, Jesse’s first words were “BNI (his employer) is not going to be happy with this.” Right from the beginning he was less worried about himself and more worried about the work that had yet to be done.
Stage 4 pancreatic cancer has no cure. The best you can hope for is a prolonged quality of life. Jesse was hopeful cancer treatments would provide that additional time for him to complete one of his long-time goals - rebuilding a 1995 Chevy Silverado. This is not any simple project. The plan was to tear the truck down to the frame and replace all aspects from engine, exhaust, transmission, seats, wheels, etc plus a custom blue paint job. Over the years, Jesse had developed all the necessary skills to where he could complete all facets of this rebuild. The truck modification was planned over 3 plus years with a start date of early 2024… then came the cancer diagnosis. He was devastated, figuring this diagnosis ended any hopes of completing his dream project. Fortunately, Jesse responded well to chemotherapy treatments. His hunger returned and tumors had shrunk. The addition of radiation treatment provided even more time. These fortunate turn of events provided the time and with support from our dad, his good friend Jeremy, and others he was able to complete bulk of the modification work by September 2025. He was thrilled to get to this point but what he truly cherished was the time with family and friends working on a hobby he loved. The truck was “road legal” but not quite to Jesse’s exacting standards. (I’ll have more on this later.) Before the end of the summer season, Jesse had the opportunity to enter the truck into a couple of car shows; an opportunity he never thought he would have after hearing the cancer diagnosis.
Jesse’s strong sense of humor, selfless nature, and pride in his work continued to shine through even in his last days. The following four stories took place on Thursday, January 15, a day before he passed, in a 2-hour window after Jesse was given the unfortunate news the doctors could do nothing more for him.
The case managers entered the room and met with Jesse and the family to discuss hospice. Near the end of the discussion, the case managers asked if we, the family, would be available the next day. Jesse without missing a beat and a smirk on his face says ”maybe” and makes a so-so hand gesture. The room broke out laughing. Here we are trying to be strong for Jesse, and it was he who was the strongest, bringing some laughter to those who were heartbroken.
After the case managers left the room, a good friend and a sister to Jesse, Allie M., called wanting to visit Jesse that night. Jesse overheard my discussion, stopped me and said, “The roads are icy and not safe. Tell Allie to wait until tomorrow morning”. He remained true to himself and even in his darkest days, he continued to look at what was best for others.
Shortly after my call with Allie, a BNI co-worker called Jesse. The co-worker was not aware of Jesse’s news. He was just checking in. He asked how Jesse was doing. Jesse was about to give the terrible news but paused and then asked if he was driving to work. The friend confirmed he was. Jesse subtlety shifted the conversation to other topics. After hanging up, I asked why he did not answer him when asked about how he was doing. Jesse replied, “He is just starting his shift. He doesn’t need to hear this news. This distraction may affect his focus and risk his safety. I’ll wait until his shift is done”. I was in awe of how he continued to look out for others. It was amazing to see how Jesse’s strong character continued to shine through to the very end.
After completing the last of the updates to friends and family that Jesse’s battle was nearing its end, Jesse sat in his bed thinking. Most may think he is reminiscing or thinking of death. Perhaps he was at one point, but after about 15 minutes he motions to Dad and says, “Okay this is what is left on the truck”, which then he goes through a to do list. As I mentioned previously, Jesse was a perfectionist. He wanted to make sure that his dream truck was completed to his liking even after death. So, dad, Jeremy, you still have some work ahead of you.
Jesse was an amazing person devoted to family, a dependable friend, diligent worker, dog lover, and one of the kindest, funniest persons we had the pleasure of knowing. He will be dearly missed. Love you brother.
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