Yá’ át’ ééh relatives near and far,

Our family is reaching out for help with my grandma, Betsy, who is now 84yr and lives in New Mexico in the Navajo Nation homelands. It has been a tough couple of months with my grandmother’s health declining and now she needs constant care. Sadly, our grandma was hospitalized numerous times in the last year, so us grandkids and close family are doing our best to try to get her the care and support she needs.

Unfortunately, my grandma is at the age where she can no longer take care of herself the same as she once did. She has developed dementia and it’s getting worse which creates more difficulties as we (the family) do our best to care for her. Her eye sight has been dwindling along with her ability to walk, stand, and needs help with other daily tasks. Our grandpa / her husband, Frank, who recently turned 81yr is also slowly needing help around the house and cannot take care of her the same way as he did before. My grandma only has 1 child now with us (Darrell) who is also dealing with his own health issues, so he is unable to provide any kind of care as well. In addition, the long list of challenges has caused much financial strain on both of my grandparents - so part of the funds will go towards keeping them housed, unexpected medical bills, and other basic needs.

Our family would appreciate any donations to get the best in-home care for her. We are currently looking into the cost and different options of care, and the family cannot afford the extra costs on our own. Most of us grandchildren live out of state and cannot be with our grandparents often, but we are doing our best to be with them now more than ever. It’s a struggle that unfortunately we cannot hold on our own, so we are kindly reaching out to all relatives, family, friends and anyone who is able to send a contribution towards giving our grandma the quality care she needs and deserves.

About Grandma Betsy:

She was born during a time when Diné / Navajo people did not have electricity, running water, or hardly no vehicles to get around. She was raised with her 8 siblings in Blanco Canyon NM on the north east side of the Navajo Reservation. The house they grew up in only had 1 main room that was sectioned off with the stove to cook, a small “fridge / freezer” that hung halfway out of the house on a ledge, and the rest of the area was to sleep and keep the belongings inside, & an outhouse in the backyard. She went to boarding school (Shiprock camp school), and then attended Bloomfield High School. She had 3 children at a young age right after high school - Cheryl, Darrell, and Debbie. Grandma met her husband Frank in NM and they moved towards LA and stayed together for the last 55+ years. They left to Los Angeles during the 1950s Indian Relocation Era to seek employment and school opportunities. She went through many trainings, became a nurse and worked at the LA County Hospital, Southern California Indian Center and other Native organizations in LA. Grandma believes in the old ways, but is also a Christian and loves to pray. She loved going to church in LA too. Grandma loves to listen to jokes, watching old Tv shows, she loves dancing, singing, listening to KTNN, and SHE LOVES most of all visiting with her relatives, her children, her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.… Out of the 3 children she helped care for 6 of her grandchildren and most of them took their first steps inside her home in LA. In 2013, grandma and grandpa Frank continued their life in the homelands and moved back to NM. Since then, she they have been enjoying their older age life and now is the time we come together and take care of her - as our matriarch in the family.

With all our love and deepest gratitude/ ahé’héé,

~ Betsy’s grandchildren

(Letitia, Rachelle, Cree, Chris, Cheyenne, Damon Jr, Marjorie, & Rodrick Jr)

~ & great grandchildren

(Dominiq, Destiny, Cruz, Darlene, Mason, Scarlett, & Enoch)