Earl’s First Trip Home to His Reservation in 60 Years!

Howdy friends, family, and kind strangers,

My name is Ash, and I’m raising funds for my dad, Earl—a resilient, big-hearted Indigenous man who was adopted off his reservation in the 1960s and has never had the chance to return. This June, we have the rare and sacred opportunity to change that. But we need your help to make it possible.

Why This Trip Matters

From June 18–25, my dad and I will be traveling to Fort Peck, Montana to attend the Red Bottom Celebration, a powwow created by his great-grandfather, as well as a long-awaited family reunion on his homeland. This trip represents so much more than travel—it’s a return, a reckoning, and a healing.

My dad is 61, and though that may sound young, he’s endured decades of hardship, including addiction, homelessness, and most recently, a near-death experience from a life-threatening leg infection. We almost lost him last winter.

Thanks to years of hard work and community support, he is finally stable and well enough to travel. This may be the only chance he has to fish on the land where he was born, meet a younger half-brother he just learned about, and reconnect with the extended family and community that were taken from him.

Where Your Support Goes:

Lodging accommodations for our family and crew

⛽️ Gas, food, and supplies for the 7-day trip

Fishing licenses so my dad can enjoy his favorite hobby

Hiring a professional filmmaker to document the journey

Gifts to bring to the community as a gesture of respect

As a writer and aspiring filmmaker, I dream of telling my dad’s story in a way that honors both the pain and the possibility in his life. This trip will be the heart of that story—one about forced removal, survival, reconnection, and intergenerational healing.

What We’ve Already Done

This journey has been years in the making. Me, my dad, and our communities have spent a long time laying the groundwork to get my dad healthy enough to travel—from medical appointments to emotional support to logistics. We’ve already secured lodging and have started making arrangements to document the trip. We’re fully committed to making this happen and it WILL happen because it is ALREADY happening. We have come as far as we can on our own. Now, we’re reaching out to you for help to carry it the rest of the way.

How You Can Help

Any amount you can contribute—whether it’s $5 or $500—will help bring my dad home. If you can’t give, sharing this fundraiser with others would mean the world to us.

Thank you for reading, for caring, and for helping us reclaim a story that was never meant to be lost.

With deep gratitude,

Ash

PS Photos and updates will be shared throughout the trip!