On New Year's Eve, barrel-aged beers crowded the menu at Romans' Pub, 3475 S. Kinnickinnic Ave. Beer lovers stood two deep at the bar.

For the first time since 1978, pub owner Mike Romans, Milwaukee's de facto godfather of craft beer, wasn't behind the bar. He won't be for a while.

Romans, 66, has been diagnosed with Stage 3 esophageal and upper stomach cancer. He also faces amputation of his right foot, the result of Charcot-Marie-Tooth, a degenerative nerve disease that has plagued him for years.

"I went in (to the hospital) with foot pain and found out that was the least worst of my problems," Romans said.

Medical staff found a piece of glass lodged in his foot — something he couldn't feel because of the Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease. Other tests — he had been having trouble swallowing — revealed anemia caused by a lesion that was bleeding into his stomach. Romans said that's when they found the cancer.

Romans' daughter, Tess, posted the news on his Facebook account on Dec. 22. And since then, customers, friends and the beer community have rallied by visiting the bar and purchasing beer artifacts that are being sold to help mitigate medical costs.

There also are plans to sell some of the hundreds of old tap handles taking up space in the basement.

Romans lives upstairs in the 1885 building housing his bar. He says the whole building will need upgrades, such as a deep cleaning to keep him safe after six weeks of radiation to railings to help him get around and stay in his home. He thinks he likely will sell both his vehicles, including the 1967 Shelby GT350 he brings out only in summer.

"We're going to be here awhile," he said, taking a sip from a tiny pour of beer that Tess handed him.

Tess Romans, 27, has taken over management of the bar on a daily basis. First order of business was taking down the "no samples" signs behind the bar. Her sister, Grace Atkin, 25, assists with the medical side of things and walks her dad down to the bar when he needs a visit.

Several people in the beer community — including some of Romans' competitors — are planning benefits to help Romans pay his medical bills.

The Sugar Maple, 441 E. Lincoln Ave., will host one on Feb. 22, from 2 to 6 p.m., with an after-party at Romans'. The owners of Eagle Park Brewing have promised beer for a benefit. Others have come through with offers, too.

Champps Americana, the beer-centric bar at 1240 S. Moorland Road in Brookfield, is planning a benefit highlighted by a keg of hard-to-get Toppling Goliath Vanilla Bean Assassin and a silent auction for tickets to sporting events and more. A date hasn't been set.

The response has warmly touched the man whose business tagline was "the sign says open, not welcome."

"I'm just overwhelmed by everything — family, friends, community," Romans said.

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Contact Kathy at (414) 224-2974 or kathy.flanigan@jrn.com. Follow her on Twitter or Instagram at @katflanigan.