UPDATE MAY 4: Greg Zanis has died at age 69, according his publicist. Zanis is known for making crosses to honor victims of mass shootings, including 1 October in Las Vegas. It was recently announced that he was battling cancer.
A memorial service is planned in Las Vegas in the near future, though specific details have not been announced.
On Monday his home city of Aurora, Ill. tweeted a picture of Zanis that said "Rest in Peace" with a quote from the mayor:
"Greg Zanis was a giant among men. Heeding to the scripture 'pick up your cross and follow me,' Greg did just that. He picked up the crosses he made & followed his mission in the noblest of ways. His legacy shall forever be remembered in Aurora & around the globe." - Mayor Irvin
"Greg Zanis was a giant among men. Heeding to the scripture 'pick up your cross and follow me,' Greg did just that. He picked up the crosses he made & followed his mission in the noblest of ways. His legacy shall forever be remembered in Aurora & around the globe." - Mayor Irvin pic.twitter.com/3WmFhRYu4k
— City of Aurora, IL (@CityofAuroraIL) May 4, 2020
UPDATE MAY 1: Supporters came together Friday to honor Greg Zanis, the man known for making crosses to honor victims of mass shootings.
The 69-year-old is the founder of Crosses for Losses, but has since retired and is battling bladder cancer since 2019.
His family said he may not have much longer to live, and they held a drive-by visitation at his home in Illinois for everyone to say, "Thank you."
A GoFundMe account has been set up to help the family cover some of the expected funeral expenses
ORIGINAL STORY
ILLINOIS (KTNV) -- The man who created crosses for 1 October shooting victims, and many others around the country, has been given weeks to live.
Susie Zanis, Greg Zanis' daughter, says her father has four to six weeks to live after being diagnosed with terminal cancer.
Greg Zanis has been trying to give peace to those in need with his handmade memorials for over 20 years. He has traveled over 800K miles setting up the handmade crosses for those who have tragically died.
White crosses honor shooting victims at Las Vegas' iconic entry sign
Greg Zanis announced his retirement in 2019, as said his Crosses for Losses ministry was beginning to take a personal and financial toll on him.
He has touched many lives with his crosses, making more than 27,000 of them to commemorate victims of mass shootings across the country.
Susie Zanis has been giving updates on her father's condition through a GoFundMe account that has been set up to help the family cover some of the expected funeral expenses. She has used the platform to update Greg Zanis' condition.
The family has shared a visitation plan, amid the pandemic, for those wanting to show support to Greg Zanis, who has become known as the cross man.
Susie Zanis wrote that supporters will be able to thank Greg Zanis through a drive-by visitation on May 1 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. at his Aurora home in Illinois. He will be near the front window, and the family will read the messages to him.
Many have wanted to visit, but they haven't been able to with coronavirus stay-at-home orders, according to Susie Zanis, and a friend suggested the visitation plans.
Greg Zanis founded the nonprofit Crosses for Losses and revisited Las Vegas in 2018 and 2019 to remember those lost in the tragic shooting on Las Vegas Boulevard.
