We did everything "right" to prepare for our fresh start. After years of hard work—including my own 130lb health transformation and a decade-long career in childcare—we used our tax return to wipe out our debts so we could move our family to Helena, Montana, with a clean slate. I have a position waiting for me at Shodair Children's Hospital, a role I’ve spent my life preparing for as a former youth in the system myself. We were ready to finally breathe, but then the floor dropped out.

In a matter of weeks, my partner Mathias was hit with back-to-back job losses through no fault of his own. Despite his constant applications and my 140,000-word book series nearing completion, we have been drained to $0. We are currently facing the terrifying reality of being residentially challenged just as we are supposed to be crossing the border to our new life. We have the job waiting, the internal hospital references to back me up, and the drive to succeed—but right now, we don’t even have the gas money to get the kids to the Montana state line.

We are looking to raise $3,000 to serve as a 4-week bridge. This isn't just "moving money"; this is survival capital for gas, food for our children, and the basic necessities to keep us afloat until my first paycheck at the hospital clears. We have spent seven years building this life together, and I refuse to let a string of bad luck at the finish line break my family. I am moving to Montana to be the advocate for kids that I never had, but first, I have to get my own kids there safely.

If you have ever been "red-lined" just as you were about to win, you know how heavy this feels. We are asking our village—friends, family, and anyone who believes in second chances—to help us bridge this final gap. Whether it’s $5 or $50, every cent goes directly into the tank and onto the table so we can start this career at Shodair on solid ground. We are "chilling" in our faith that this path is right, but we need your help to walk it. Thank you for being part of our "I Win" story.