Julies Story

Julie Magestro Rohr

Julie is a daughter, granddaughter, sister, aunt, niece, cousin, partner, friend, boss, and of course, fur-mom.  She has led a life of giving.  She is selfless and typically would help anyone in need, especially her family.  After graduating High School in Sheboygan Falls, WI, she attended the University of Wisconsin- Milwaukee receiving a business/marketing degree, while working at the Horse & Plow in Kohler as a manager.  She lived in Manitowoc WI for quite a few years, eventually married and divorced, and decided on a whim and a phone call, to move to Colorado Springs and buy a restaurant/Bar named Kelly O’Brians Bar and Grille.  She knows how to have fun.  She has owned Harley Davidsons; she’s an avid Packer fan; she is often seen celebrating with her patrons and employees, downhill skiing and rafting.  She loves a little town named Pitkin in Southwestern Colorado where she has a cabin and is able to escape the challenges of being a restaurant/bar owner, to ATV and hike and relax with her dogs.  She loves country music, likes hanging out in Nashville, and has even written songs and plays guitar.

Recently, after giving her Dalmatian his last gift, a trip to heaven, she decided to help rescue dogs.  She fell in love with rescue and helping place dogs into their furever homes.  She has been active with Best Fur Friends Rescue group(BFFs) ever since, and has even driven from CO to TX to pick up a dog on several occasions.  She’s a foster failure, and has kept 4 of her rescues and currently has a pack of 5 fur-babies.  She has also donated thousands of dollars to support rescue dogs with several fundraisers at her bar in recent years.  Most recently, from a picture her sister sent her, she decided to make a Christmas arrangement in a cowboy boot, either to hang on a door or just stand upright.  She made one or two, but then decided, after hearing about so many dogs left outside in the cold Colorado winter, she would make arrangements and sell them in order to buy dog houses and food for those dogs needing shelter from the cold.  She ended up selling 50 boot arrangements and was thrilled with the success of this fundraiser.

She was just home for Thanksgiving, and was looking forward to coming home again for Christmas.  She had her boot arrangements ready to give to her family, gifts wrapped, and ready to make the long drive to WI.  Yet, on December 8th, while her sister was having a surgery, she called her Mom and said she had some abdominal pain.  Thinking it was just the flu, she continued for about a week until this upper right abdominal pain became more constant.  She went to the doctor who did some bloodwork and an ultrasound.  This showed a large tumor taking up approximately 80% of her liver.  After a long, frustrating wait, and a difficult holiday without being able to return home, she received news on December 27th, that this tumor was Hepatocellular Carcinoma(HCC).  It is currently inoperable due to the size of the tumor, so she will have to start Y90 radiation to shrink the tumor and possibly undergo immunotherapy clinical trials.   Then, as long as it can shrink to the indicated size, she will have a liver resection surgery.

It’s time to pay it forward to Julie.  If you have ever had the pleasure of knowing Julie, then you have reaped the awards of her giving nature.  She is one to never ask for help, she’s too stubborn for that.  Her family knows this first hand.  Usually she is the one to offer money, to offer help in any way to anyone in need, whether you have two legs or four.

So, please consider giving a gift to Julie Magestro Rohr to assist in medical costs she is sure to incur during this battle.  If you are unable, please just say a prayer for her and her family.  Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your generosity and compassion during this difficult time.