Anthony Benjamin Hollaway

Anthony Benjamin Hollaway, age 21, of Austin, Texas, passed away on February 15, 2012 after a brave, lifelong battle with Cystic Fibrosis which is a genetic illness that affects the lungs and various other organs.

Anthony was preceded in death by his grandfather, Willis Eugene Easter, and his grandmother, BJ Hollaway. He is survived by his mother, Mary Hollaway, his father, Thomas Hollaway and his wife, Debbie; his brother, Christopher Carley; his grandmother, Barbara Easter; his grandfather, John Hollaway and wife, Ann; many Aunts, Uncles and Cousins.

In his youth, Anthony played soccer, baseball and basketball. He loved skateboarding, bike riding and swimming. Anthony went to school in Austin attending Canyon Vista Middle School and Vista Ridge High School graduating in 2008. He was currently attending Austin Community College pursuing a career in Biomechanical Engineering. Anthony was very creative and artistic. He constructed amazing objects including a working Lego camera, homemade bows and arrows, minicarnivals made of scrap paper and jewelry from discarded wire. Anthony ‘McGyvered’ a solution for anything that was before him. Anthony has left a legacy of inspiration to everyone.

He loved traveling to see relatives in California and Oklahoma, visiting Silver Dollar City in the Ozarks, catching the latest movies or playing on his X-Box. He was very grateful to the Make-A-Wish Foundation which granted him his wish of taking a cruise in the Gulf of Mexico. After receiving a double lung transplant in February of 2011, Anthony was able to run a CF Fundraising Walk where he was never able to even walk it prior to the transplant. He had one of his best days ever on his 21st birthday when he went out on the town with his brother, friends and many nurses who have become so close to him.

The family expresses heartfelt gratitude to the medical staff at Dell Children’s Hospital of Central Texas, especially the staff of 4 Central; Dr. Bennie McWilliams, Dr. Jason Fullmer, Dr. Jordan Scalo, and Dr. Brian J. Kang and the rest of the great staff in the CF Clinic at Dell Children’s; Dr. Carlos Scott, Dr. Sarah Legett, Dr. Sarmistha Hauger, Dr. Jeffrey Kane, Dr. Robert Schlecter, and numerous other doctors and nurses from the Specially Care Center at Dell Children’s. Dr. Luis Angel, Dr. Scott Johnson, Dr. Deborah Levine, Dr. White, Dr. Morrow, pre and post-transplant team at the Transplant Clinic and Transplant ICU at the University Health Hospital in San Antonio.

We really appreciate the long line of nurses that have cared for Anthony throughout his life. A special thanks to all the help with fundraising including the National Foundation for Transplants, the bake sale and car wash by the nurses, Clinical Assistants and others at 4 Central, as well as numerous others.

In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation in Anthony’s name to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation (www.cff.org), and also becoming an organ donor to help others in need. Please contact your doctor regarding organ donation (www.unos.org).

A Vigil is scheduled for Sunday, February 19, 2012 from 6:00-8:00pm at Cook-Walden Chapel of the Hills Funeral Home in Austin, TX with a Vigil service beginning at 7:00pm. A Funeral Mass is scheduled for Monday, February 20, at 1:00pm with a reception immediately following at St. Thomas More Catholic Church, 10205 RR 620 North, Austin, Texas 78726.

To share your memories of Anthony Hollaway, please visit www.cookwaldenchapelofthehills.com.