This GoFundMe serves as a way for friends and family to contribute to expenses that came and will come along with the sudden loss of my dad, Robert, to cardiac arrest in June. He leaves behind myself (his only daughter) and his best friend, Sue (my mom). Mom and dad lived a simple life together, working day in and day out to makes ends meet so funds were and continue to be tight. My mom and dad were never officially married but lived together for over 20 years. My mom unfortunately does not have access to my father's social security while currently looking for a new job. She also suffers with arthritis and is in the process of needing to receive surgery for a hernia. I humbly ask for your support during this time so that I may give my dad the proper after-life care, celebration of life and take care of my mom in his absence.

I wanted to share a little about my dad as I knew him.

If you've met my dad, you may remember different versions of him. Sometimes he was the obnoxious, inappropriate joke-maker and other times he was the silent wallflower until he quietly booked it to the car for his escape. What you may not know about him was that he was often deep in thought, riddled with anxiety of the future and dread of the past – an artist in his own right. My dad had much to say to his loved ones but often didn't know how to say it or he'd say the wrong thing. Of course, he told himself that people were just unwilling to hear his cold, hard truth. Life had hardened him.

He was my grumpy, ridged old man that I chose to try to soften with love and patience, a passion that I desperately wish I could continue to see through. Towards the end of his life, he really evolved into the dad that I always wanted. He began to see more color in areas of his life where joy had faded. Judgement was less of a knee-jerk reaction and more of a quiet partner that he chose to challenge with understanding. I know many of you didn't get to see that side of my dad and I really wish you could have. He was something special. He believed that his taste in music carried his soul, something I will always savor when I play my 'Pappy's Jellies and Jams' playlist – a collection of songs that my dad shared with me over text and all over his facebook feed.

Thank you so much for your gifts no matter the size. It means the world to us.