Mary Ellen Crase was a mother, daughter, sister, friend, and a larger-than-life presence to many who knew her personally or followed her family through My Autistic Family. She loved fiercely, created adventures wherever she went, and was completely devoted to her children. 

Mary’s sudden passing has left an enormous hole. And for her daughter Kyra, it has also created a very real question about what comes next. 

This fundraiser is for Kyra. 

 Kyra is 26 and lives with disabilities that make many parts of independent adult life difficult. Mary was more than her mom. She was a central part of the support, structure, consistency, and security Kyra depended on. 

That support disappeared overnight. 

There will be some resources available to Kyra, but they cannot replace what Mary provided or meet all of the needs she may face in the years ahead. Our family wants to help close that gap and give Kyra something incredibly important right now: a stronger foundation for her future. 

Funds raised will help support Kyra’s immediate and longer-term needs, including stable living arrangements, everyday necessities, transportation, appropriate support services, counseling when helpful, assistance with daily life, and other resources that help her live as safely, independently, and fully as possible. 

We also want as much of what is raised as possible to remain available for Kyra’s future. Our family is working to ensure the funds are carefully accounted for and responsibly protected as longer-term arrangements are established. 

For those who knew Mary, you know exactly how much personality came packed into one person. She was the undisputed queen of board games, absolutely obsessed with Lagoon, fiercely opinionated, and never particularly interested in staying quiet when she believed something mattered. She made people laugh, occasionally drove them crazy, and left behind stories that will be told for a very long time. 

Here are links to Mary’s memorial web pages:

Maryscrazylife.com

https://mortuary.org/obituaries/mary-ellen-crase

For those who didn’t know Mary, you don’t have to have known her to make a difference in Kyra’s life. 

A donation of $25, $50, $100 or whatever you are comfortable giving becomes part of something much bigger when enough people choose to help. And if donating isn’t possible, sharing this fundraiser can help it reach someone who can. 

Because there is an active investigation and children are involved, our family will not be discussing the circumstances surrounding Mary’s death. We appreciate everyone respecting their privacy and allowing this effort to remain focused on Mary’s life and Kyra’s future. 

We cannot give Kyra her mom back. 

But together, we can help make sure losing Mary doesn’t also mean losing all of the stability, support, and security she worked so hard to give her daughter. Thank you for helping us do that.

— The Family of Mary Ellen Crase