A Home for Annalise

Last month our friend Kathy Duclos unexpectedly lost her daughter Alice. She was only 35 years old. Kathy is heartbroken dealing with the loss of a child and, tragically, Alice was a single mother of a 3-year-old girl, Annalise.

In Kathy’s words:

“Three-year-old Annalise thought her mommy was lying on the bathroom floor sleeping. She tried to wake her, but Mommy had suddenly and unexpectedly died. Annalise was alone. Luckily someone came to the apartment door within a few hours, found the scene, and alerted authorities. Annalise was whisked out of the apartment to wait for Grandma (the only other person in the world who is close to Annalise) and she went lovingly into Grandma’s arms.  That night she sadly told Grandma, “I’m never going to see my mom again.” Big words and big sentiments coming from such a little girl.

This precocious, intelligent, chatty, beautiful little girl has experienced too much instability in her short life. Annalise has lived in a homeless shelter and was in foster care for 8 months last year. She needs a stable, permanent home with a mommy and a daddy and a sister, too. She needs someone to tuck her in at night, to tell her she matters, and shower her with love. She needs her happily ever after like the Disney Princesses she loves so much.“

Fortunately, Kathy’s nephew John Sweeney, his wife Lisa, and their 9-year-old daughter Zoey immediately stepped up to open their home and family to Annalise. Their family is ready, willing, and able to provide Annalise with the love and stability she needs to grow and thrive.

In Lisa’s words:

“Our family was saddened to hear about the loss of Alice and that Annalise was left without a forever home. While still coping with the mourning of Alice, our hearts lifted at the opportunity to allow Annalise to join our family and become a little sister to our Zoey. Our family has had many prior conversations about growing our family by welcoming kids who need a home. We were planning to move to a new home in about 2 years, and then prepare our home to welcome additional children who are in need of care/help/love. When we heard what had happened, we jumped at the chance to be the family to support Annalise, guide her, protect her and offer her a stable and loving environment. The adventure begins, we are currently house hunting to find the right place for Annalise & our family, close to grandma, with space to play and a good school district. We are also working with Kathy and the system to advocate for Annalise to be in a home that will be supportive to her and her needs, which we hope will be our home.

Lisa, John, and Zoey”

Unfortunately, this transition comes at a price. Annalise is now in the CPS system so the Sweeney family is required to go through the legal process of obtaining custody and formally adopting her. That process is expected to cost at least $12,000. Additionally, the family currently lives in a small 2-bedroom home in St Paul, so they are in the process of locating a larger home for their suddenly expanding family. We all know moving has its costs. Kathy is also carrying the unexpected cost of daycare for Annalise – to the tune of over $1,500 a month – while the CPS/legal process plays out. That could be up to 6 months. Any additional funds raised will go to an education fund for Annalise.

Let’s come together to support Kathy, Annalise, and the Sweeney family and give Annalise the happily ever after she deserves.

Annalise, John, Lisa, & Zoey