ST. LOUIS – For years, Chris Basler has placed a tent outside of the Chavas restaurant on Mardi Gras, selling food items and generating money for Lift for Life Academy.

But when he was diagnosed with an incurable type of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, the restaurant and school decided the money raised at this year’s Mardi Gras should go to the high school teacher who has worked to update a weight room.

“We’ve called a lot of doctors about our options and what we can afford and what we could do,” said Tim and Colleen Basler. “We’ve already had a few trips to Houston, so this is going to be a big help.”

A surprise took place at Lift for Life Academy Tuesday afternoon, and many hugs—as a realization—that various people touched by Mr. Basler wanted to be there for a check presentation.

“Tim knows that we do our annual donations where the teachers work the booth,” said Chris Ybarra, the owner of Chavas Mexican Restaurant. “The money goes to the Academy, to the weight room that needs some help. But we decided Tim needed it more than the weight room that needs some repair.”

The money raised this past Saturday, $12,000, would go to the medical expenses the father of three is facing as he deals with cancer.

Lift for Life Academy Deputy Director Dr. Katrice Noble empathizes with what Basler is going through. She lost her son, Keith, to kidney cancer.

“The kids at Lift for Life Academy found out some kind of way,” Noble said. “They said, ‘Did you know that Mr. Basler had cancer?’ I replied that I did, and they said, ‘Dang. He doesn’t act like it.’ That’s because he shows up every single day. He gives 110% of himself every single day. I couldn’t ask for a better employee.”