Our family has been through more in the last few years than we ever imagined possible. We have kept moving forward with faith, love, and determination, but we’ve reached a point where we cannot do it alone anymore.

In 2020, I lost my dad. Just one week later, my mom moved in with us so we could support each other and keep her cared for. Life was tight, but we managed to build a bigger house to make room for our growing family. Then in 2021, tragedy struck again—I lost my brother in a motorcycle accident, and just a month later, my grandmother passed away.

While grieving those losses, my own health began to fail. Doctors feared early onset dementia, and I had to stop working while I went through a year of diagnostic testing. Eventually, I was diagnosed with Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus and underwent brain surgery to install a shunt. While that surgery helped with some immediate issues, it left me with lasting struggles: memory loss, overwhelming anxiety and depression, difficulty learning new tasks, and constant feelings of being mentally overloaded. It has changed what I’m capable of doing, and learning to live with these limitations has been one of the hardest battles of my life.

On top of all that, when my wife was in her third trimester, she lost her job. Due to complications during pregnancy, she wasn’t able to return to work right away. During this time, I also lost my disability benefits through my employer. With no income and unexpected expenses piling up, we fell further and further behind.

The good news is my wife is back to work now and absolutely thriving in her new role. She is working so hard to provide for us, and I do everything I can at home. But despite our efforts, the hole we fell into is deep, and catching up has been overwhelming. We own our home for now, but the bank is pressuring us. We are in a program to try to save the house, but we still have a long road ahead.

To give you an idea of how fragile things have become:

• Our family cell phone plan was shut off, and we had to get new phones on a new plan we’re struggling to keep up with.
• Yesterday, the city came and turned off our water because I forgot to call for an extension until Thursday. My memory issues cause me to drop important tasks like this, and while my wife does everything she can, she can’t carry it all while working full-time. Thankfully, we were able to get the water turned back on, but I fear electricity could be next—or even my wife’s car, which she needs for work.

We are not asking for extras or luxuries. We are simply trying to keep our family safe, stable, and together while we climb out of this difficult season. Any help will go directly to essentials: keeping the lights on, paying the bills that threaten our home, and bridging the gap so that we can finally catch our breath.

Our family has endured heartbreak and hardship, but we are still standing. We believe that with a little help from our community, we can get back on our feet and give our children the security they deserve.

If you are able to donate, please know that every single contribution—no matter the size—makes a real difference. If you can’t give financially, sharing our story or simply keeping us in your thoughts and prayers means so much as well.

From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for taking the time to read this and for any support you can give. Your kindness helps us hold onto hope for brighter days ahead.