A Teacher’s Heart, A Humble Ask: Please Help Me Rebuild

A Lifetime of Serving – Now I Need a Hand

For four decades, I've dedicated my life to helping children unlock the power of words. As a literacy specialist, I’ve sat beside hundreds of young readers—many struggling to find their footing—and offered the patience, tools, and belief they needed to grow. Teaching a child to read is more than a job for me; it’s a passion and a calling. And now, at 68, I find myself in a position I never expected —reaching out for help.

In the past five months, I’ve endured three significant health crises—two of them major—that knocked me off my feet and kept me from teaching and doing the work I love. I prepared as best I could for emergencies like this, with five carefully built savings accounts meant to serve as my emergency / safety net. But the back-to-back nature of these incidents (COVID; two facial surgeries -- MOHS and facial reconstruction; and as of late chronic laryngitis -- 6.5 weeks and counting), has depleted everything I had set aside. In addition, because of my continuing absence, one of my students (representing a quarter of my income) had to leave my practice because he absolutely needs continuous daily intervention.

Being a single woman aging on her own, I’ve come to realize just how essential it is to have strong reserves—not only for healing but for peace of mind and dignity. It would take me years to rebuild what was lost, and time, as we know, is no longer on my side.

I’m not one to ask lightly. But I’ve always believed in the quiet power of community—of people showing up for each other when life takes an unexpected turn. If my story resonates with you, or if you've ever been helped or inspired by a teacher, please consider lending your support.