Dylan and Seton's Survival Fund in memory of Earl

Dear Friends and family,

On Thursday, November 10th, I got the news no one wants to hear. My dear friend Erin Buker lost her husband Earl that morning to sudden and massive internal hemorrhaging that paramedics could not avert.

Erin is heartbroken. She lost her husband and best friend of 11 years.

But what makes the situation even sadder is that Earl also leaves behind two adorable young children – Dylan, who is 6, and Seton, who is just 4.

Earl was the breadwinner in the family. He poured his heart and soul into his 35-year career in construction, rising all the way from Fire Watch to Project Manager. His leadership style and integrity earned him the respect and affection of his many coworkers over the years. He leaves behind countless decades-long friendships from within the industry to which he devoted so much of his life. He will be dearly missed both at work and at home.

Right now, Erin is a stay-at-home mom. Erin and her family could really use your help to cover Earl’s final expenses and make ends meet until Erin can get her feet back under her and initially recover from this tragedy. We would like to provide Erin, Dylan and Seton with whatever safety net we can so that she and the kids do not have to decide whether to see therapists or not or how to choose between day-to-day essentials and things like car and health insurance.

So far, Erin and the kids are hanging in there under really tough circumstances. Her little ones are too young to fully understand, and are even doing their best to cheer their mom up. The pictures of the kids with their daddy show what this little family will be missing.

I know everyone has it rough right now and money is tight, especially with the holidays on their way. Anything you can do to help make the Buker family’s path forward easier would be really appreciated – no amount is too insignificant. You will certainly be making Erin, Dylan and Seton’s holidays brighter, and their day to day lives a little less scary and overwhelming.

Erin will be providing updates as she feels able, but for now I just wanted to share with you her family and her joyful little kids in her own words and the pictures of a dear family friend. Meanwhile, she and her family send all of you their love and sincere thanks for your time reading this. Your generosity means the world to this little family, and to me.

DYLAN

Dylan is 6–the apple of Earl's eye. She remains the most extroverted person I have ever met. The girl is just not acquainted with neuroses, so Mom is learning from her example. Being brave is so much more an attitude than it is a character trait; Dylan's all pluck--no matter the outcome of her efforts.

SETON

Earl's "little man." April of 2018 was four years ago. Thanks to some Pandemic-induced temporal deficits on my part, I regularly think of 2019 as “last year,” but it has been 48 months since I was calling Earl, marveling at the spring light’s effect on the drab concrete in the parking garage near my OB-GYN office to let him know that Seton would be arriving that weekend instead of at the 39-week induction that was scheduled for exactly two weeks from then. To be sure, Seton wasn’t really thrilled with showing up early either, making it known during those first three weeks that life was simpler and cozier at his prior residence than at the bright, chaotic world. To this day, he has a preternatural ability to communicate his displeasure that inspired the following: “Seton is the happiest boy. Except for when he isn’t….”

Ok, after that gratuitous stroll down the path of Seton lore, I’ll get down to it. Our wild and sweet boy has turned 4. Being the second born and predisposed to sharing the spotlight with Dylan, it’s magic to behold the purest joy emanating from his loving heart, soaking it in without apology in this special day.