On November 5th, our lives changed in a matter of seconds.

What started as an ordinary morning for me megan kohlhaas & my five children getting off to school turned into every parent's worst nightmare. We were parked outside our neighborhood leasing office, waiting for the school bus. I was getting my three oldest children out of the car and watching them walk toward the bus, waving goodbye as I always do But in the blink of an eye, everything changed.

Without the brake being pressed, my car shifted into neutral and began rolling backward being what mechanics say was a transmission slip My sweet 3-year-old daughter, Melody, was still inside.

The car slid backward into a large pond just feet away from the parking spaces. There was no barrier protecting the parking area from the water.

I froze for a split second in absolute terror before running straight into the freezing water after my baby.

The water was below freezing, and I immediately became breathless as I fought to reach the car. As it began sinking, neighbors rushed in to help. We were all desperately swimming around the vehicle, trying anything we could to break a window and get Melody out.

I screamed for help while people gathered, calling 911 and trying to figure out how to reach her. I tried gripping the car with my bare feet, desperately attempting to climb toward the back window, but I couldn't get it open.

Finally, someone managed to get a hammer and began breaking a window to free my baby.

The car was sinking deeper and faster,

When we finally made it back to shore, I was so frozen, shaken, and out of breath that I couldn't even grab my own child. All I could do was scream and cry, terrified for her and praying that she would be okay.

Before I knew it, we were being loaded into an ambulance, wrapped in emergency foil warmers, and transported to Progress West for X-rays and treatment for hypothermia.

Today, I am beyond grateful. My sweet Melody is alive. She is home and recovering, and I thank God over and over again that I still get to hold my baby. Melody just celebrated her third birthday on October 6th. She should be enjoying being three, making memories, and having the carefree childhood every little girl deserves. Instead, our family is trying to process something no family should ever have to experience.

And as much as I should be resting, recovering, and holding my babies close today, I am having to create this GoFundMe because we are facing an immediate financial crisis on top of everything else.

We have lost our vehicle, and with it, our ability to maintain our daily lives.

I am a mother of five, and without transportation, working and providing for my children becomes nearly impossible. I cannot simply go without a vehicle and figure things out later. My children depend on me, and I depend on having transportation to work and care for them.

On top of losing our car, I am currently without a phone because it was in the vehicle. I cannot even retrieve my apartment keys from the tow yard without paying $200 that I simply do not have right now.

Our rent was paid just three days ago. Every bit of money we had went toward keeping a roof over our children's heads. We were not prepared for something like this, and there is no way we could have anticipated the expenses that would come with it.

Right now, we need help with:

Retrieving our apartment keys and personal belongings from the tow yard.

replacing our phone and repairing the water damage. most importantly

Transportation for our family while we navigate life without our vehicle as my newborn is due for surgeries and more

we cannot survive without a car or phone i am on a laptop and locked out all accounts

Working toward replacing our vehicle so I can continue working and providing for all five of my children.

I never imagined I would be sitting here, after surviving something so terrifying, having to ask strangers for help just to make sure my children and I can continue our lives.

And I want to say something else: this should never have happened.

Families park in this area every single day while their children wait for the school bus. Parents are getting their children in and out of vehicles just feet away from a huge pond with no protective barrier between the parking spaces and the water.

No parent should have to fear that a simple morning goodbye could turn into a fight to save their child's life. No family should have to experience this kind of trauma.

I hope that sharing our story also brings attention to how dangerous this situation is and helps prevent another family from ever experiencing something similar.

I wish I could spend today simply resting, recovering, and thanking God that my baby is still here. But the reality is that we cannot survive without help right now. I have five children depending on me, and I have to do everything I can to keep us moving forward.

If you are able to donate, no matter how small, please know that it means more to our family than I could ever put into words. If you cannot donate, please consider sharing this GoFundMe with your friends, family, and anyone who might be able to help.

And most importantly, please keep us in your prayers. We have a long road ahead of us physically, emotionally, and financially.

Today, I am thanking God that I still have my Melody. I am thanking God that my children still have their mother. And I am praying that somehow, with the kindness and generosity of others, we can get through what comes next.

We survived the unthinkable. Now we just need a little help putting our lives back together.

From the bottom of my heart, thank you for reading our story, praying for our family, donating if you can, and sharing our fundraiser.

God bless you all. ❤️