Lasting Light
Lasting Light
From left, Paul Caswell, Chase Caswell, Becky Caswell and Gage Caswell
Chase Caswell was a beacon of energy during his life. A Degree of Honor life insurance policy helped his family handle his untimely death. Chase Caswell wasn’t so much a typical 20-something as a force of nature. “He lit up entire rooms with his energy and his smile, even when he was little,” his mother, Becky Caswell, recalls. “If Chase was around, you would know it.” Chase’s many hobbies — hunting, swimming and snowboarding among them — are further proof of a life lived in high gear. The Spencer, Iowa, native also expended much of his energy helping others, winning the Degree of Honor Volunteer of the Year award in 2007. That boundless enthusiasm made it even more shocking when he was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer, NUT midline carcinoma, in July 2013. He passed away only three months later at the age of 20. Despite the tragedy of his untimely death, there was one saving grace for his family: he had a Degree of Honor life insurance policy. The family came to Degree of Honor through Margaret Will, a longtime, recently retired Degree of Honor agent, local organizer and Chase’s great-grandmother. Both Chase and Becky had insurance policies from a young age, as do most members of their family. “I’ve been part of Degree of Honor nearly my whole life,” Becky says. When you think of a person who needs life insurance, you might not picture a vibrant, happy child. Becky certainly didn’t. “I
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HONOR / Summer 2015 / 800.947.5812
thought, ‘My kids are healthy and young, do they really need insurance?’” she says. “But nobody knows when stuff like this will happen.” Becky insured her two children when they were young through Degree of Honor. “It was a one-time payment,” she recalls, “and the cost was low for the amount of insurance that we went ahead and did it.” The policy turned out to be a great help to Chase’s family. Because he was insured, they had one less thing to worry about during Chase’s final months. “It gave us peace of mind,” Becky says. The life insurance policy covered roughly 75 percent of his funeral costs. “Most people don’t understand the cost of burying somebody,” Becky says. “If we had to cover funeral expenses on top of medical bills, it would’ve been too much. We were thankful we didn’t have to worry about it.” Becky adds that Chase never lost his high spirits and positive attitude. “Doctors and nurses kept telling us, ‘Your son is amazing.’ He remained determined through his battle with cancer,” she recalls. “Valiant is the word I use.” It is this memory of Chase, courageous and upbeat to the end, that his family cherishes to this day.
From left, Paul Caswell, Chase Caswell, Becky Caswell and Gage Caswell
Chase Caswell was a beacon of energy during his life. A Degree of Honor life insurance policy helped his family handle his untimely death. Chase Caswell wasn’t so much a typical 20-something as a force of nature. “He lit up entire rooms with his energy and his smile, even when he was little,” his mother, Becky Caswell, recalls. “If Chase was around, you would know it.” Chase’s many hobbies — hunting, swimming and snowboarding among them — are further proof of a life lived in high gear. The Spencer, Iowa, native also expended much of his energy helping others, winning the Degree of Honor Volunteer of the Year award in 2007. That boundless enthusiasm made it even more shocking when he was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer, NUT midline carcinoma, in July 2013. He passed away only three months later at the age of 20. Despite the tragedy of his untimely death, there was one saving grace for his family: he had a Degree of Honor life insurance policy. The family came to Degree of Honor through Margaret Will, a longtime, recently retired Degree of Honor agent, local organizer and Chase’s great-grandmother. Both Chase and Becky had insurance policies from a young age, as do most members of their family. “I’ve been part of Degree of Honor nearly my whole life,” Becky says. When you think of a person who needs life insurance, you might not picture a vibrant, happy child. Becky certainly didn’t. “I
4
HONOR / Summer 2015 / 800.947.5812
thought, ‘My kids are healthy and young, do they really need insurance?’” she says. “But nobody knows when stuff like this will happen.” Becky insured her two children when they were young through Degree of Honor. “It was a one-time payment,” she recalls, “and the cost was low for the amount of insurance that we went ahead and did it.” The policy turned out to be a great help to Chase’s family. Because he was insured, they had one less thing to worry about during Chase’s final months. “It gave us peace of mind,” Becky says. The life insurance policy covered roughly 75 percent of his funeral costs. “Most people don’t understand the cost of burying somebody,” Becky says. “If we had to cover funeral expenses on top of medical bills, it would’ve been too much. We were thankful we didn’t have to worry about it.” Becky adds that Chase never lost his high spirits and positive attitude. “Doctors and nurses kept telling us, ‘Your son is amazing.’ He remained determined through his battle with cancer,” she recalls. “Valiant is the word I use.” It is this memory of Chase, courageous and upbeat to the end, that his family cherishes to this day.
