Hola!

I'm Mar Ale, Estella Bonilla's eldest daughter. My mom is turning 60 on January 4th 2026, and her lifelong dream has been to celebrate this milestone with a big birthday party surrounded by her family back home in Uruguay.

She's never had a real birthday party — never a moment to pause and be celebrated for all that she is and all she does. After losing two of her brothers in recent years, this dream has become even more meaningful — it's a chance to bring her family together for a joyful occasion and to reconnect after so much loss.

Earlier this year, she began planning the celebration. It was the first time in my life that I'd seen her channel her warmth and effort toward something that celebrated her, rather than everyone else. Whenever we spoke about it, she would light up in a way I had never seen! Unfortunately, she quickly realized that the cost of traveling and hosting the party was more than we could manage - and slowly let go of the hope that it would ever happen.

My mom is the hardest-working person I know. Throughout my life, she has been the epitome of selflessness, perseverance, and unwavering courage. She's faced immense challenges, yet she's never allowed hardship to make her bitter. Instead, she radiates warmth, joy, and kindness everywhere she goes. She's a ray of sunshine to so many, and I feel beyond lucky to call her my mom.  

Because this milestone means so much to her, I'm trying to organize a surprise fundraiser to help make her dream celebration possible — including the airfare for us to attend her birthday celebration in Uruguay and the associated costs (~$4,000 for airfare and ~$ 3,000 for expenses related to logistics and the birthday celebration itself).

Estella has no idea this is happening — it's my way of honoring her and everything she's done for us. PLEASE keep this a secret until November 15th.

I would like to purchase airplane tickets as soon as possible (ideally by October 22nd), as the prices are increasing daily. If you'd like to contribute, it would mean the world to her (and to us).

Additionally, if you'd like, you can also record a short video message wishing her a happy birthday- I'd love to put them together into something special for her to watch.

My email address is [email protected], and my phone number is (802) 777-8173. Please reach out if you have any questions or suggestions!

Thank you so much for taking the time to read this, and for the kindness you and your families have always shown my mom. She loves you all - and truly loves the work she does and the people she works with. ❤️

With love and gratitude,

Mar Ale Guizler Bonilla