The past three years have been an unrelenting struggle for my goddaughter and her family. My goddaughter’s life was upended when her father unexpectedly passed in his sleep, leaving her mother to shoulder the responsibility of raising their four children on her own. I have exhausted all of my resources to help her family, but it is not enough.

My goddaughters mother, Shawntae, has always provided for her family, as she cared for others as a nurse. In the midst of her grief and financial strain, as she tried to provide for her family, her father reached out from Arizona and offered to assist her with her and the children. Unfortunately, after a school year there, it became apparent that things were not as they seemed with her family, causing more hardship, forcing her to return to Michigan.

Back in Michigan, she continued to work tirelessly as a nurse, ensuring that she could provide for her children. Job opportunities were not a problem, but life threw another challenge at her that prevented her from being able to work. Nearly a year ago, she was involved in a severe car accident. The person responsible admitted to the police that they were not paying attention, leading to a collision that caused multiple injuries to her and my goddaughter.

The accident has had far-reaching consequences, not only physically but financially. We have been working with a lawyer to sue the insurance company, following through with all of the doctor appointments, as she had a head injury causing some memory loss. She recently was told by her insurance that she is now required to pay for her own medical coverage due to the accident, and the medical expenses have been mounting. She is no longer getting loss wages from the insurance company and is required to pay her attorney fees upfront as she pursues with the lawsuit. She was receiving pain shots, as a result of the accident and is now required to pay for the injections. She also can’t afford the infusions she is supposed to have. The family attends therapy as a family to deal with grief and “depression as well as individually, so she is able to be a support to her children during these challenges. The support of friends and family has been invaluable, yet she has reached a point where her resources are exhausted, and she is unable to continue affording legal representation.

Despite applying for various assistance programs, she still struggles to meet the basic needs for her family. She is driving Lyft in order to make sure the children have food for the day. The kids are in sports, which entails another financial burden. This is important for the kids to have these opportunities as it helps them deal with the loss of their father. The costs of rent, utilities, clothes, shoes, and food have become overwhelming. Her primary goal is to maintain the stability and quality of life that her children experienced when their father was alive.

In this time of need, I humbly reach out for any contributions or assistance that can help them navigate this challenging period. Every bit of support is deeply appreciated and will go a long way in ensuring that her children have the stable and loving environment they deserve. Thank you for any help you can provide, especially prayers, it means the world to us.