Kendall Fitzgerald spent months unable to see clearly, walk without a cane, or breathe the way he used to, all because of a rare condition building pressure inside his skull. Now, weeks after a minimally invasive brain surgery he says was an overall success, the Denver resident is inviting strangers and neighbors alike to celebrate with him while he is still around to enjoy it: a living celebration of life at Cheesman Park on August 15.
Fitzgerald was diagnosed with idiopathic intracranial hypertension, a rare condition that causes increased pressure and fluid buildup around the brain, according to Westword. The disorder is uncommon enough that it affects an estimated 3.44 per 10,000 women aged 18 to 55 in the United States, with the broader population incidence ranging from just 0.9 to 1.8 per 100,000 annually, according to research published in PubMed. Its symptoms can mimic those of a brain tumor even though none is present.
Fitzgerald began experiencing head discomfort and numbness in his hands and feet around November, the outlet reports. By January, doctors found his spinal fluid pressure was off the charts. The condition eventually affected his ability to walk, breathe, and see throughout 2025, and he developed severe balance problems that forced him to rely on a walker.
A Stent, a Save-the-Date, and a New City
In early July, Fitzgerald underwent minimally invasive brain surgery that involved placing a stent to keep a major brain vein open, relieving the pressure and fluid buildup. The procedure he underwent is known as venous sinus stenting, a neuroendovascular technique that widens narrowed cerebral veins with a small mesh tube and resolves the swelling behind the eyes tied to the condition in roughly 80 percent of patients, according to peer-reviewed research. Fitzgerald says he no longer has double vision or eye pain, and he is rehabbing his speaking and motor skills.
Before he even went under, Fitzgerald created an online save-the-date poster anticipating his own recovery, per the Westword report. “I am alive; that's great. We're going to celebrate!” he said, according to the outlet. He printed the party flier himself using 100 free print pages and a professional headshot.
Fitzgerald grew up in central Pennsylvania and moved to Denver about a year before the article's publication. He has since visited a Denver public library and befriended a librarian there, who helped him find books on neuroelasticity and the power of the brain, the report notes.
Bubbles Instead of Smoke, and a Cheesman Park Backdrop
Fitzgerald has taken up blowing bubbles as a replacement for smoking, since he cannot legally consume state-allowed cannabis products at the celebration. That restriction lines up with Colorado law: even though the state legalized recreational marijuana in 2012 under Amendment 64, consuming or openly displaying cannabis in public spaces like municipal parks remains illegal, a petty offense carrying fines starting at $100 and up to 15 days in jail, according to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.
The party, running from 5 to 9 p.m. on August 15, will feature snacks, bubbles, joy, levity, live entertainment, and companionship, Fitzgerald says. He wants to get outside and lie in the grass, meet his Denver and Colorado neighbors, and simply gather with community. His one rule for attendees: be nice. Those interested can RSVP by calling 720-583-5149.
The setting itself carries history. Cheesman Park spans 80 acres in central Denver on the former site of Prospect Hill Cemetery and is anchored by a Neoclassical marble memorial pavilion built in 1910, according to the Cultural Landscape Foundation. Together with the adjacent Denver Botanic Gardens, the park makes up 40 percent of the surrounding neighborhood's total land area, according to the City of Denver, making it the community's natural gathering point.
Part of a Broader Shift Toward Living Celebrations
Fitzgerald's gathering fits into a wider cultural trend of people choosing to celebrate life transitions while they are still present rather than waiting for a traditional funeral. A 2024 survey by Funeral Choice found that 29 percent of adults are interested in holding a living funeral or pre-death celebration of life for themselves, with that interest jumping to 53 percent among adults aged 18 to 24, according to eHospice. U.S. cremation rates, meanwhile, were projected to reach 63.4 percent by 2025, a shift widely tied to declining religious affiliation and a broader move toward more personalized rituals, per reporting on the trend.
Away from the surgery and the symbolism, Fitzgerald has also found a small way to give back to his new neighborhood: he carries rubbing alcohol with him to remove hate-speech graffiti from neighborhood signs. It is a quiet habit that echoes the same message behind his August 15 gathering — community, kindness, and showing up for each other while there is still time to do so.
Cheesman Park has also seen its share of neighborhood news this year, from the new café bordering the park to public safety concerns raised earlier this year, as per Hoodline. For Fitzgerald, though, the park's 80 acres of open meadows and mountain views will simply be the backdrop for a party built entirely around gratitude for still being here.
