Dying Augusta Man Seeks Corporate Sponsorship for Tombstone

AUGUSTA, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – A Georgia man dying of cancer has an unusual request at the end of his life: He’s seeking corporate sponsorship for his tombstone.

David Hunter is quiet, contemplative, and determined. Three adjectives you might expect about someone who was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer last year…The Augusta man has less than a year to live. Like most people facing that prospect, he thought his life would turn out differently.

“My grandmother lived to be 101. I’m 60,” he says.

For him, death is very close.

“It’s like they say ‘We plan but God decides.'”

And like most people facing death, he has some final wishes. But one of his wishes is unconventional…to say the least. He wants a corporate sponsor for his tombstone.  The things he wants to do cost a lot of money.

“Sort of a bucket list…Maybe a trip to California, I’ve never been there…The Grand Canyon or Yellowstone, or Chicago…Toronto…”

On top of that, he’s waiting to be approved for Medicaid…and undergoing rigorous chemotherapy. And money unfortunately doesn’t grow on trees. So where did he get the idea? On the internet, of course.

Actually, former LA Dodger’s executive Tommy Lasorda joked to the LA times about his tombstone. He said “I’ve already told my wife that when I do go I want our home schedule attached to my tombstone…Hey, I love this organization so much I want to be working for it even after I’m dead.”

So Hunter took that as a sign, and made his own sign. He carried it to the Masters…but didn’t get any bites, or any attention.

41NBC’s Andrew Reeser asked him what he wants the tombstone to look like. “It could be anything from my name then my years, and then it says ‘He liked Pizza Hut’ to something that’s got a corporate logo on it,” says Hunter.

Even if Pizza Hut doesn’t go along, he’s keeping an open mind, hoping for internet companies like HolyTaco, Gawker, or Vice Media to get on board. It would be like a permanent billboard. Hunter says obviously he’d want the profits from the sponsor before he dies.

“A one time payment would be enough for me…”

He’s even willing to be buried where these companies are based…even if he’s never been there. So far, David hasn’t heard from any potential sponsors, but he’s not giving up hope.

“I’m keeping it open, I’m just letting life hit me and seeing what happens.”

It’s a dying man’s wish, so he can make his other dying wishes come true. For more information on David and how you can help him in his quest for tombstone sponsorship, click here.