Assisting a Family After a Tragic Loss

I never in a million years thought I'd be here, typing out this story, asking myself how I'm going to keep going without my best friend…without the skin, the eyes, the smile, the embrace of the person I've loved for the majority of my adult life by my side. I keep asking how this could happen right before graduation, right before your birthday, and mostly, before we fulfilled all our visions of growing old together. It feels like I’m in a nightmare, one where I keep playing over and over again any other scenario that would have led anywhere else but here.

For those of you who don't know, this past week, the girls and I received the worst news of our lives: that the man we called “husband” and “dad” and “friend” would not be coming back home. He'd been battling a host of injuries and illness sustained during his long-time devotion to the military, but we never expected this would happen. Not to us, not to Ea. I never thought I’d be here, asking our friends and family for help like this.

I also never anticipated that the grieving process was this cruel…that you’re forced to ask practical questions about the roof over your head when you’re falling apart, fill out forms with swollen eyes, read through things on no hours of sleep, answer question after question when you’re in shock, endure long phone calls with creditors all while trying to grieve and hold it together. As it turns out, processing paperwork can take MONTHS, and until then, we’re left scrambling, trying to figure out how we’ll cover everything.

As I’m working through my grief, I must also rebuild financially and care for my two daughters, our pets, and our house. Immediate family and friends have been so helpful and generous, but there's a possibility we're going to be going months trying to make ends meet. If you’re able to, the girls and I are asking for help with burial costs and monthly bills, just while we await administrative processing times for other funds to arrive. Every dollar contributed will be paid back as soon as we are able to.

I love you Ea....to eternity. Forever and ever my love. I promise I'll do my best my love, until I see you again.