At the end of August, my world was turned upside down. I found my partner of more than 22 years and the father of my teenage son...gone. He passed away unexpectedly from a heart attack in our bathroom, and nothing could have prepared us for that moment or for the grief that followed.

My son and I have been doing our best to survive something that feels impossible. I began therapy just to function day to day, and my son, who had once been a driven student and high school quarterback, has been deeply affected in his own way. He has withdrawn, struggles to attend school where I am now having to enroll him in online school, and spends most days sleeping. Watching him grieve while trying to hold myself together has been heartbreaking.

As we were still reeling from this loss, another blow came. I had worked for the same company for over 15 years as the property manager of a 268-unit apartment community that was recently taken over by a new management company. When I asked for family leave so I could care for my son and address our trauma, I was terminated instead.

Since then, everything has felt frighteningly unstable. I am without income or health insurance, and we are now facing the loss of our home. The same company that terminated me has told us we must vacate the apartment we live in. I am doing everything I can to keep my son safe, supported, and grounded, but I have reached a point where I cannot do it alone.

Asking for help does not come easily to me. I never imagined being in this position, and I have exhausted every option I can on my own. Any support we receive will go directly toward necessities that will help us regain stability, including moving expenses so we can secure safe housing, legal fees to pursue guidance regarding what may have been an unjust termination after requesting family leave, and continued therapy for both my son and me as we work through our grief and trauma.

Any amount, no matter how small, would be deeply appreciated. If you’re unable to give, sharing our story would mean just as much. Your kindness, compassion, and support during this painful chapter would give us hope and help us begin to find our footing again.

Thank you for taking the time to read and for holding space for our story.