From Heartbreak to Healing: Support After Losing My Job and My Mom

Hi everyone,

My name is Scheri, and I'm reaching out to you during an incredibly challenging time in my life. At the beginning of July 2024, I lost my job. Just a few weeks later, my mother passed away at the age of 60 due to advanced heart failure, only one year after being diagnosed.

My mom was a strong and determined woman who faced many challenges with unwavering resolve. As a loving mother who raised me on her own in Minnesota, she was the hardest worker I've ever known. I owe my work ethic and sharp sense of humor to her, the source of so much of who I am today. Shortly before we moved to California in 2017, she was diagnosed with essential tremors. By this time, she had already experienced one heart attack, and the stress of no longer being financially independent took a toll on her body, leading to a second heart attack prior to her diagnosis. Unable to secure a full-time job, she relied on Social Security for the last 7 years. Despite these setbacks, she stayed determined. She took her love for animals and started an in-home pet sitting business, dedicating her time to caring for pets and volunteering at the Sacramento SPCA.

Even with all her effort and hard work, she was still living dollar to dollar. As a result, when she passed, she didn’t have much left to cover her final expenses. All the costs associated with her memorial service, cremation, moving costs, and relocation of her pets have now become my responsibility. Additionally, I will be inheriting the costs associated with her pets, as I am adopting my mother's beloved rabbit, Sativa.

These costs represent the expenses for my mother’s memorial services for both Minnesota and California to celebrate the life she lived in both states.

MN Memorial Service: These are confirmed and final costs.

CA Memorial Service: These are estimated costs for CA memorial as we are in the planning stages for this service.

Total Memorial Costs:

Personal Support Costs:

These past few weeks have been incredibly challenging, and while it’s not easy for me to ask for help, I’m reaching out to my community for support. The financial burden of managing both my mom’s final arrangements and my own living expenses has been overwhelming. With the unexpected loss of my job and the emotional toll of losing my mom, I'm doing my best to navigate these tough times.

I’m humbly asking for assistance to cover my personal expenses for the next two months as I focus on healing and finding stable employment. Your support will help me manage essential bills, including rent, utilities, and therapy, allowing me to move forward with less stress and more hope.

These costs reflect my ongoing personal expenses, which I am struggling to cover while unemployed.

Summary of Funds Needed:

I'm reaching out for your support to help cover these expenses during this challenging time. Your contributions will go directly toward the outlined costs. Any assistance you can provide would be deeply appreciated and will greatly help me manage these financial challenges as I focus on healing and finding my footing again.

Thank you for taking the time to read my story and for any support you can offer. Your kindness and generosity mean more to me than words can express.

With heartfelt gratitude,

Scheri