A Loving Goodbye for Mary Jo Acton

How does one sum up a life into a post? My mother, Mary Jo Acton, was the best person I know. She raised me on her own, doing things that I couldn’t imagine doing. I remember her walking 3 miles each way to go work at Burger King just to put food on the table for us. She’d go hungry so I could eat; she’d be cold and let me have her blanket to be warm. She taught me everything I know about the world, which is why I have to do everything I can to do what’s right for her at the end of her story.

To summarize, my mother was diagnosed with melanoma back in August 2024. It was found to have quickly spread to her lungs and her brain, and each time we talked to a doctor, the news only worsened. Now she’s on her final days, and the cost of end-of-life care is intimidating, to say the least.

I had just started a new job when her condition got critical these last two weeks, and they told me that I needed to resign the position due to the intense training requirements or risk not being able to say goodbye to my mom. So I journeyed back home to tend to my mom's affairs with no money in my wallet, no job, and no way to help give my mom the send-off she deserves.

I know if the roles were reversed, my mother would move heaven and earth to help me be sent off properly. So I’m asking for help because I truly have no other options, and I just want to be able to do right by the person who gave me life.

Anything given will be going towards the cost of her cremation and aftercare, hopefully including a nice headstone as well. Anything that you can give would make a world of difference. Thank you for your time. And whether you can donate or not, I urge all of you to call your parents and just talk to them one more time.