Brother Rice graduate Andrew Weishar passed away in 2012 at the age of 21 after a battle with colorectal cancer. Before his passing, his biggest message to his family was to “pay it forward” after seeing his community show up for them throughout his fight.
“And so, before he passed, he asked our family to be able to pay forward that same kindness and generosity that he was shown,” Andrew’s youngest brother and Notre Dame tight end, Nic Weishar said. “And so, with that, we created the Andrew Weishar Foundation in his honor.”
The Andrew Weishar Foundation (Weish4Ever) was born with that message as the focus and since 2013, the Weishar Family combined their mission and love of music by bringing even more people together at their WeishFest event.
“Obviously again, it’s a concert, but it’s also a little bit of a reunion of sorts,” Weishar said. “There’s lots of groups of people who haven’t seen each other for a while that make sure that they come to WeishFest every year and get their friend group there.”
WeishFest is an all-inclusive indoor music fest uplifting families battling cancer and for its 13th year will be taking over Navy Pier’s Aon Grand Ballroom on Saturday, Nov. 14.
“We’ve come a long way,” Weishar said. “We’re now at Navy Pier here in Chicago and super excited about the new venue. It’s an iconic venue and we’re just super excited about it coming up here in a couple of days.”
This year’s performances include returners Russell Dickerson and Quinn XCII as well as Five For Fighting, Chuck Adams, and more.
“Russell Dickerson and Quinn XCII, both of those guys are just great people. They want to be able to play at an event like this and know what they’re playing for,” Weishar said. “They understand the cause and they’re willing to push the cause.”
The foundation has been able to raise $4.3 million and help over 800 families battling cancer.
All proceeds from WeishFest will go directly to providing financial assistance for families with adolescents and young adults battling cancer.
Doors open at 4 p.m. and music will go until 10:30 p.m. In between acts, Andrew’s story will be shared and the foundation will honor multiple beneficiaries.
“It’s a concert, but the vibes and feeling in the air and the room are different–it’s a little bit special,” Weishar said. “It’s like walking on Notre Dame’s campus or being in the grotto. You just feel a little extra something, which is pretty special. And that’s what you feel at WeishFest, too.”
Tickets start at $175 and include an open bar and food for all levels. Visit WeishFest.com to grab your tickets.
If you can’t make it and still want to get involved, visit Weish4Ever.org to donate and learn more.
The foundation will also be hosting a raffle and silent auction beginning the night of and going through the following weeks. A variety of items and experiences will be listed including two tickets to the Super Bowl.
Editor’s note: For more on Nic Weishar, the Andrew Weishar Foundation, and WeishFest, check out his conversation with Xavier Sanchez on the Xtra Time Podcast, which is available on Apple and Spotify