For most of my life, when a crisis happened, I was the person organizing the fundraiser, delivering supplies, helping families navigate paperwork, finding resources for someone else, and showing up. Asking for help for myself doesn't come naturally. But today, I must.

Our home was severely damaged by Hurricane Helene, and like many Western North Carolina families, we've spent nearly two years trying to find a path forward. Insurance denied most of our claim despite extensive damage, and the process of appealing, documenting, waiting, and trying again has been exhausting.

Our home was built by my grandmother during World War II. It isn't just a house; it's one of the last tangible connections I have to my family history. Since the storm, much of the home has been inaccessible due to damage, and we've spent nearly two years living with uncertainty while trying to figure out what comes next.

The good news is that there finally appears to be a path forward.

The bad news is that Hurricane Helene has apparently decided that after nearly two years of stress, paperwork, inspections, appeals, and uncertainty, what our family really needs is an extended, involuntary vacation from our own home.

Unfortunately, unlike most vacations, this one involves packing everything we own, finding somewhere else to live for a while, moving twice, storing our belongings, updating addresses, transferring utilities, and generally discovering exciting new expenses we never knew existed.

As we prepare for the next chapter of our lives, we're facing a lot of complicated strains on our resources and contributions will help our family maintain stability during this transition and the practical realities of being unexpectedly displaced from our home.

My spouse is an illustrator and stay-at-home parent. I'm clergy and have dedicated much of my life to nonprofit work, mutual aid, education, deathcare, and community service. While that work has tremendous value, it has not left us with the financial resources necessary to absorb a situation like this on short notice.

We've spent nearly two years doing everything we could to recover, advocate for ourselves, and hold things together. We're hopeful for the future, but are also being realistic about the challenges ahead.

I know many of you are used to seeing me ask for help on behalf of someone else. This time, I'm asking for my family. If you're able to contribute, thank you. If not, sharing this fundraiser is also an enormous help. And if nothing else, thank you for reading our story and for helping us survive the world's least relaxing vacation.

— Mortellus and Family