BOZEMAN — If you've lived in Bozeman for a while, you know I-Ho Pomeroy as a household name for her beloved restaurant and her involvement in the community. Just last month, I-Ho underwent brain surgery to remove an aggressive tumor, and her family says that the love and support from the community has been so heartwarming.
“She would put her hands together, bow her head and say thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you," says I-Ho's son-in-law, John Jahns. "It's unbelievable."
Pomeroy, a city commissioner and the owner of I-Ho's Korean Grill recently underwent brain surgery to remove a glioblastoma, which is a fast-growing and aggressive brain cancer.
Jahns says I-Ho had come home from a trip feeling tired and was losing her balance. They took her to the E.R. where they discovered the malignant tumor.
“It wasn't anything that we saw over time," he says. "It was just from one day to the next.”
Jahns says the last few weeks have been challenging.
“It's been a real blur because we've gone from one sort of fire to the next, holding the restaurant together, getting, you know, the treatment she needs and deserves,” I-Ho's son-in-law says.
There’s been an abundance of support from neighbors, friends, and community members.
Jahns says, “Just small things that really help, Some of the ladies brought pasta salad over and mac and cheese and I mean, we do have a restaurant, but we try to put the customers first so we won't eat sometimes till like 2:00. I had breakfast at 5 p.m. yesterday.”
He continues, "We get people coming out of the restaurant saying, you know, whatever you need, I'll wash dishes. One of the city managers told me, if you need anything, I'm not above coming in here and cleaning tables. What do you need?”
Jahns says the support for I-Ho's Gofundme shows how much of an impact his mother-in-law has had on the Bozeman community.
“We are so, so thankful for the outpouring of support and we don't want to ask more which I just don't know what's coming," says Jahns. "I don't know what the health care bills are going to look like.”
Jahns wants the community to know that the letters people have been writing to I-Ho have made a huge impact on her.
“The cards from the community are so helpful. We try to ration her on the cards because there's a lot of them. So we give her three or five pieces in the morning, pep her up for the day. She's got exercise and other things to do and she just has such a huge smile on her face,” says Jahns.
The family emphasizes how thankful they are for the wonderful support from their community during this difficult time.
Jahns says, “It's just amazing to see that level of support in this community. And it really speaks to sort of the fabric of Bozeman.”
If you are interested in donating, you can find more information at I-Ho's GoFundMe page.
If you wish to write her a letter, send it to the restaurant at 321 W. Main St, Bozeman, MT, 59715.
