Dave Eilers the founder of eWillys shared some health news with me today via email. Please continue to keep Dave and his family in your Prayers.
Hi Tim,
I am sorry to report the following. In September of 2025, I was diagnosed with Stage 4 high volume metastatic prostate cancer. I immediately began hormone therapy. The first five months showed significant success in treating that cancer. What we didn’t know was that prostate cancer sometimes transforms/evolves into a cancer that you can’t fight with hormone therapy; in fact, there aren’t any good defenses against it at all. This new strain attacked more aggressively, especially focused on my right thigh. Effectively, I now no longer have a right thigh. It was on June 8th that we understood the full picture. Even if I could fight the cancer, I still have a hip seems irreparable. With no good options, on Tuesday the 16th I will officially begin hospice. I may have one to three weeks of life after that. The hip pain will be the determining factor (and there is lots of pain there).
I have lived sixty good years. I have found love and peace in a beautiful setting. This is an imperfect ending to my life; I sadly got the short end of the stick. Such is life sometimes.
Thanks so much for taking over eWillys. I hope it’s legacy proves valuable to folks.
Feel free to post the information above on the site if you want. If any readers want to reach out, they can email me at d@deilers.com.
Sorry for the dour news. I hope you continue to see success in your grand project!
Best wishes,
– Dave
Sorry to hear this. All the best to Dave and his family.
Prayers and hope for freedom from pain.
Jim
Prayers for you Dave, thanks for sharing your knowledge thru your comments thru the years.
Jose Garcia
Dave,
You were, are, and will always be my hero. Although I’m much older, I’ve learned a great deal from you. I’ve learned so much about the Jeeps we love for sure. But I’ve also learned about facing life’s choices, good and bad, from your writings. Thank you for sharing a part of your life with us.
Go in peace, my friend,
Barry T
Dave, We never know where LIFE will lead us. Your wisdom, character, and WIILYS JEEP knowledge and commitment, have influenced us all in a GOOD WAY!!! Thank you for your efforts, and your sharing of all of your life’s travels and adventures. This latest one, will have influenced more than you know, and in more ways than you will ever know. GOD’s SPEED to a PEACEFUL and PAIN FREE NEW LIFE!!!
Thank You for all you taught me, and the eWillys LEGACY. May it live on in your recognition, under Tim’s great efforts and dedication. Thank You Tim!
Best Wishes to all of your family, and Condolences to all of your family and friends.
SteveK (and Nellybelle)
dave
so sorry to hear. God bless.
thank you for all the cj3b’s i purchased from your site. your a good man. you put integrity in front of profit. we are all grateful for everything you helped us with. “just like a Willy’s in 4 wheel drive”!
Bob in nc
Dave…..so very sorry to hear the update about the spread of your cancer. As you know, I too am battling stage 4 metastatic prostate cancer as we have discussed in prior emails. I am so very grateful that you shared with me some alternative therapies and I purchased the book you had recommended. At 80yrs old and battling, I do not know what is next.
When I walk out into the garage in a few minutes, I will walk by the 1953 CJ3B that I purchased from a ranch in Lander WY in 2013. All of the joy and good times with this Jeep is entirely attributable to you and ewillys. My greatest joys now are getting my 7yr. old grandson in the seat and putt putting around the neighborhood. All of this would never have happened without you. I never started a day in the last 15yrs. without a visit to ewillys.
I will be praying for you….please use whatever strength you have to battle the pain. I will be thinking of and praying for Ann and all your family.
That is terrible news that I’m saddened to read. My thoughts and prayers to Dave, Ann, and their family.
Dave, I’m so sorry to hear this update. My deepest condolences to you and Anne, and both your families. I’d heard the news yesterday from a fellow Ewillys enthusiast and haven’t stopped thinking of you since. I’m at a loss for words, but Barry and Steve both put it very well. I’ve been with Ewillys and you from day one and you are truly my hero as well. Your dedication and the way you’ve researched all things Willys jeeps is second to none, and the site with Tim’s great leadership and stepping up with go on and still be one of the best jeep sites ever. I often go to the advanced search to do some research and it’s amazing. Just put an awesome Ewillys sticker on my Flatty and will wear it well!!!! God speed Dave and hang tough my friend. I will reach out this week in an email.
Ted
Mindy and I can’t even fathom What you and Brenda are going through but know this. You made a difference to countless people through your kindness and your actions. E Willys connected thousands of people with their passion. Your books taught us amazing things
About life and love, your family’s amazing history and about a period of time and en event which few knew about beforehand. You are a best friend and soulmate to Brenda and that means a lot.
I wish you Godspeed on your journey and when your time comes I hope and at peace.
Dave,
I have followed eWillys for many years and have enjoyed not only the jeeps but your adventures with Ann and the stories of your life, past and present. Although we’ve never met, I feel like I know you, which made the news of your cancer so dissapointing.
My thoughts will be with you and your family during these next few difficult weeks. I hope your transition “home” will be quick and painless. Thank you for being an ejoyable part of my life.
Rob
Dave,
Out of all the updates on eWillys over the past 15 years of being an everyday visitor this is one I never thought I would read. I am so so sorry for all you are going through. I will never understand why things like this happen to the best people.
I found eWillys back when I was in middle school when I was looking at Jeeps on the computer instead of working on my classwork. (I still turned out ok!) From then on your daily updates were the most exciting part of my day. I think it is safe to say eWillys played the largest role in strengthening my interest, knowledge and passion for these vehicles and for that I could never thank you enough. Your site has not only been an amazing place for buying and selling many Jeeps/parts over the years but it has been the most incredible database of knowledge that exists in this hobby. Your time and dedication to the site provided thousands of people all over the world with so much information including countless historical write ups and references that do not exist anywhere else. Your site also helped so many people find the right Jeep that brings them joy and happiness that will hopefully be passed on for generations. I know that this site and your legacy will live on and continue to aid and inspire many enthusiasts for years to come. You are one of the best and a true Willys legend.
Godspeed my friend.
Matt in CT
Dave,
Sorry for your sad news. So many thousands of people over the years have found or passed on Willys Jeep projects which has brought so much happiness that will live on. My family and I really enjoyed meeting you years ago when you came to our Great Willys Picnic, and my son still has a signed vintage Jeep ad you gave him hanging on the wall. Thanks for all you’ve done, and all the best my friend.
Dave…Thank you for your reply to my recent email…It’s been great having ‘eWillys’ as part of my morning routine for many years…Thank you for sharing Jeeps, and your and Ann’s adventures with all of us…Craig
I am so sorry to hear this!
I’ve enjoyed the fruit of your labor on Ewillys for many years.
We all owe you a lot for your work here.
Praying for you and your family as you deal with this terrible hand that you’ve been dealt.
Dave-
We all have only so many minutes on Mother Earth – you have certainly spent your minutes in great ways from where I stand. Thank you for all your contributions to our Willys family and for preserving and making Willys history. I wish for the most comfort possible for you and your family.
Pappy
Thank you, Dave. My prayers for you and Ann will continue. Your contributions to the Willys Jeep community are more than exemplary and generous. I will always remember Alaska. KLONDIKE!
Dave I am 66 and have been looking at Ewillys for a short time. I am now a fan and will be a buyer of one soon. I wish I had been drawn in earlier! I credit your info that has caused my ” Willysitis” ! I will be praying for you and Ann as you go forward in “our shared” cancer. I am 3 yrs out from prostate removal surgery. As a born again believer I have faith that I will be with my savior Jesus when I pass on. May I leave you with a verse from John 14:6 , Jesus said ” I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. ” I believe Jesus is who He says He is. This is a temporary place we have on earth. His plan is to redeem us through His sacrifice on the cross. He paid the price for me and you my friend. Praying for you and Ann.
Perfection Wasted
by John Updike
And another regrettable thing about death
is the ceasing of your own brand of magic,
which took a whole life to develop and market-
the quips, the witticisms, the slant
adjusted to a few, those loved ones nearest
the lip of the stage, their soft faces blanched
in the footlight glow, their laughter close to tears,
their tears confused with their diamond earrings,
their warm pooled breath in and out with your heartbeat,
their response and your performance twinned.
The jokes over the phone. The memories packed
in the rapid-access file. The whole act.
Who will do it again? That’s it: no one;
imitators and descendants aren’t the same.