Hello everyone, I'm Humbly reaching out to our community with a heavy heart to ask for support for our daughter, 4-year-old Dakota Rose Taylor.

Dakota recently suffered a devastating dog bite to her face, resulting in multiple facial fractures, a broken jaw, and the loss of four of her front teeth. She endured nearly 40 painful stitches and is facing a long, difficult recovery.

Dakota, a vibrant 4-year-old, is now resting at home with her mother, Ceara, after several hospital visits cross multiple state lines. Her immediate needs are overwhelming: she must be on a special diet due to the pain, requires silk bedding to protect her stitches, and needs new button-up tops because she cannot pull clothing over her injured face without causing extreme pain and sustained discomfort. My princess loves dresses so mostly all of her clothing are appropriate for her taist and not her current needs.

Crisis for a Military Family

Dakota's mother, Ceara, is an active soldier in the National Guard who has made countless sacrifices for her nation and community. She and her husband, Andrew, are fiercely independent, and we have never been ones to ask for assistance.

This trauma has forced Ceara to take immediate, unpaid leave from work to provide 24/7 care. As Dakota's father, I am traveling 2 hours daily to ensure I can be there to support them.

This devastation has overshadowed the holidays for our blended family of six children (all 13 and under). While we try to shield them from the financial stress, the reality is that their family stability and holiday season are severely impacted. We want to ensure Ceara and Andrew do not have to endure further financial sacrifice after her years of dedicated service.

Dakota's recovery is just beginning. She faces months of healing, including extensive follow-up with dentists (to address the four missing teeth) and likely future plastic surgery to minimize disfigurement.

How Your Donation Will Help

Goal: $7,300.00

I have set a goal of $7,300.00 to cover the immediate, critical, and upcoming needs for Dakota and unfortunately also siblings due to time off needed from work. This amount is calculated to ensure we net the required $7,000 after GoFundMe fees are deducted.

Please help us give Dakota the best chance for a full recovery, both physically and emotionally. No child should have to go through this.

If you are able to, please donate. If you cannot donate, please share this campaign widely with your networks.

Every share and every dollar brings us closer to getting Dakota the care she needs and protecting Ceara's family stability. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your compassion and kindness.

If you know me, then you know making this request for financial aid is very difficult. I take pride in not taking financial aid from the community, but at this time, my daughter's well-being far surpasses my need for pride. I am humbly coming before you asking for help of any kind. If you can't financially help, then when you speak to your higher power, please mention us and hopefully he/she/it may remove whatever dark cloud has been over me for years now and let some light in. I could personally use a ray of sunshine because it's just getting darker for me personally, but it doesn't have to be like this for them too.

Category, Amount, and Purpose

Family Household Bills $2,500: Covers one month of essential household bills while Ceara is unable to work and is providing full-time care.

Dakota's Future Recovery $2,000: Dedicated to crucial future medical needs: dental work (implants for missing teeth), plastic surgery consultations, and co-pays.

Children's Holiday Fund $1,500 ($250 per child): To help ensure the six children still have a positive holiday season during this difficult time.

Travel & Support for myself $500: Fuel and expenses for the daily 2-hour commute to provide essential family support.

Unexpected Expense Buffer $500: A crucial buffer for immediate specialized needs (diet, supplies, silk bedding, special clothing) and unforeseen medical costs.

Total Funds Needed $7,000: This is the amount the family needs to receive.

GoFundMe Goal $7,300: The amount needed to be raised to net $7,000.