Greg Kiryakakis
January 30, 1972 – October 11, 2026
Gregory Kiryakakis was born in Dallas, Texas, on 30 Jan 1972, to Willi Kiryakakis and Faye Foster Kiryakakis. At three months of age, his family relocated to Enid, Oklahoma, where Greg eventually became the big brother to two sisters, Alana and Carrie, and a brother, Toby. His mother used to tell people his middle name was “ORY” because his full name was only used when he was in trouble. He became involved in sports even before starting school and, with his dad as his coach, became involved with running.
Greg attended both public and private schools in Enid, graduating in 1990. Not one to do anything like everyone else, Greg “graduated” high school lying in a hospital bed in Oklahoma City following his diagnosis with acute myelogenous leukemia three weeks prior to graduation.
College had to be delayed by medical treatments, but he eventually attended Northeastern Oklahoma State University before transferring to the University of Central Oklahoma, where he gained his bachelor’s degree, majoring in Communication. But his college years were also interrupted when he relapsed in 1993 and underwent a bone marrow transplant.
Showing the resilience that became a recurring theme in life, Greg went on to a successful career working his way up through management levels with Follett in Oklahoma, Illinois, Georgia, and California. Despite health challenges, he continued to run and became involved in raising money for the Leukemia Society through “Teams in Training“. Following COVID, he sought fresh employment with FedEx, which brought him to Arlington, Texas.
But these facts don’t tell you much about Greg. He had a keen sense of humor that saw him through even the darkest moments. While undergoing chemotherapy, he and his friends would have wheelchair races in the hospital hallways, send off all the message tubes from the nursing station while feigning complete innocence, and play pranks regularly. Laughter followed wherever Greg was. Friends multiplied, and Greg’s friends were forever.
Defying doctors’ opinions that he would never have children following the bone marrow transplant, Greg was blessed with three “miracles” in Mila, Manuella, and Matilda. But his moment of completion came when he crossed paths with a young widow, Adriana, and they blended their families into the “whole” that centered Greg’s world on 14 Nov 2015. Together they saw their seven children (Jace, Mila, Ava, Manuella, Davis, Matilda, and Mitchell) finish elementary, middle, and high school, and two college graduates!
Through it all, faith, along with God’s guiding hand, was integral in Greg’s life. From the time of his first confrontation with cancer until the day of his death, Greg knew God had a plan and purpose to accomplish. Countless lives have been impacted, and despite the hardships, Greg learned to trust God’s timing. That time for Greg’s life came on October 11, 2026, when he took his final breath.
Greg summarized it best himself when he shared with friends recently, “When I was 18 and diagnosed with leukemia, I was scared of dying. I’m not scared anymore. I know where I will be. I will have a perfect body, maybe a tan(!), and I’ll be with Jesus. You all can know for certain that while I’ll likely go in my sleep, make no mistake, I will be standing with my eyes front and center waiting to see Him! We all know my days are numbered, but don’t forget, so are yours. Use your time well and finish strong!!!”
Today, Greg is echoing the Apostle Paul, saying, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith” (2 Tim. 4:7).
A Celebration of Greg’s life will be held on Saturday, October 17 at 10 a.m. at Redemption Story Church, 2100 Morrison Dr, Fort Worth, TX 76112. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Redemption Story Church for the mission fund or the Blood Cancer Society (formerly Leukemia and Lymphoma Society).
Greg attended both public and private schools in Enid, graduating in 1990. Not one to do anything like everyone else, Greg “graduated” high school lying in a hospital bed in Oklahoma City following his diagnosis with acute myelogenous leukemia three weeks prior to graduation.
College had to be delayed by medical treatments, but he eventually attended Northeastern Oklahoma State University before transferring to the University of Central Oklahoma, where he gained his bachelor’s degree, majoring in Communication. But his college years were also interrupted when he relapsed in 1993 and underwent a bone marrow transplant.
Showing the resilience that became a recurring theme in life, Greg went on to a successful career working his way up through management levels with Follett in Oklahoma, Illinois, Georgia, and California. Despite health challenges, he continued to run and became involved in raising money for the Leukemia Society through “Teams in Training“. Following COVID, he sought fresh employment with FedEx, which brought him to Arlington, Texas.
But these facts don’t tell you much about Greg. He had a keen sense of humor that saw him through even the darkest moments. While undergoing chemotherapy, he and his friends would have wheelchair races in the hospital hallways, send off all the message tubes from the nursing station while feigning complete innocence, and play pranks regularly. Laughter followed wherever Greg was. Friends multiplied, and Greg’s friends were forever.
Defying doctors’ opinions that he would never have children following the bone marrow transplant, Greg was blessed with three “miracles” in Mila, Manuella, and Matilda. But his moment of completion came when he crossed paths with a young widow, Adriana, and they blended their families into the “whole” that centered Greg’s world on 14 Nov 2015. Together they saw their seven children (Jace, Mila, Ava, Manuella, Davis, Matilda, and Mitchell) finish elementary, middle, and high school, and two college graduates!
Through it all, faith, along with God’s guiding hand, was integral in Greg’s life. From the time of his first confrontation with cancer until the day of his death, Greg knew God had a plan and purpose to accomplish. Countless lives have been impacted, and despite the hardships, Greg learned to trust God’s timing. That time for Greg’s life came on October 11, 2026, when he took his final breath.
Greg summarized it best himself when he shared with friends recently, “When I was 18 and diagnosed with leukemia, I was scared of dying. I’m not scared anymore. I know where I will be. I will have a perfect body, maybe a tan(!), and I’ll be with Jesus. You all can know for certain that while I’ll likely go in my sleep, make no mistake, I will be standing with my eyes front and center waiting to see Him! We all know my days are numbered, but don’t forget, so are yours. Use your time well and finish strong!!!”
Today, Greg is echoing the Apostle Paul, saying, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith” (2 Tim. 4:7).
A Celebration of Greg’s life will be held on Saturday, October 17 at 10 a.m. at Redemption Story Church, 2100 Morrison Dr, Fort Worth, TX 76112. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Redemption Story Church for the mission fund or the Blood Cancer Society (formerly Leukemia and Lymphoma Society).