Funeral and family care expenses

My husband, Willie Abner, had a fatal asthma attack on August 5th. He leaves behind his daughters, Uriyah (8), Abiyah (6), and myself. We’re asking for your help to cover immediate expenses for the family. We need your support getting through the upcoming weeks as we adjust to this reality.

Willie Isaiah Abner, known as Willie by many, though he preferred Abner more recently, was not only a Son, Brother, Father, and Husband; he was the best of each. Abner was always just a call away if you were in need—though he more likely called you to “check in” before you had the chance to let him know. Somehow, Abner just knew. He was there for you because he knew that a life of giving is a righteous life, and every day, Abner chose to do his very best to pursue a righteous path. Now, his family needs you. We need you.

On August 5th, 2022, Abner had a day off from work. He spent the day with his family. He and I walked the bike path with our daughters as they scootered in front, behind, and all around us. We made an easy dinner, lentil soup and Abner’s new food favorite side, matza bread. As I was cleaning up, Abner let me know he felt “tight,” meaning he was on the verge of an asthma attack. I called 911. The fire truck arrived first, then the ambulance. Abner told the first responders, “I can’t breathe, I can’t breathe.” Abner fell as they walked to the ambulance. A fireman caught him, and the first responders rushed him into the ambulance and, eventually, to the hospital.

The doctors told us that Abner suffered an asthma attack and cardiac arrest. As Abner lay in the hospital, surrounded by his family, the doctors informed us that Abner had passed away. In accordance with our religious beliefs and philosophy, we decided that Abner would continue his legacy of giving by gifting his organs to deserving people in need.

Abner is survived by his daughters, Uriyah (8), Abiyah (6), and myself. Shortly before I gave birth to Abiyah, Abner moved our family to Kansas. Throughout our time in Kansas, he has worked harder than anyone I have seen to bring our family into the middle class. Eventually, he was able to move us to the suburbs, to a beautiful apartment in a gorgeous neighborhood. His goal was to give our children opportunities that neither of us had access to. As a stay-at-home mom, I home-schooled our children and made our home. We depended on Abner’s income for support. Now, with no family in our adopted home of Kansas, the kids and I must move across the country, closer to our familial support network. I'll need their looking after the children as I do my best to fulfill our dream of giving them the opportunities they deserve.

Unfortunately, Abner’s job did not provide life insurance of any kind. Moreover, he spent everything that came in making sure that we ate healthily and that the girls and I didn’t want for anything. While he had big plans—he was set to begin an excellent job on Monday, August 8th. The new position would have provided insurance and better pay—at thirty-seven years old, he had not yet been able to establish a nest egg in addition to everything else he did. There is no life insurance, and there are no savings. We do not have anything to fall back on.

I am asking for help paying for his extensive medical bills, our relocation to Vermont, and transporting his body to Vermont for burial, where his children can visit him. It is not easy to ask for help, but we are genuinely in need. Please, if you can, give what you can and know that your gift is going to a family enduring a tragedy but who will eventually pay it forward because that is what Abner would want us to do.

Thank you,

Latrese, Uriyah, and Abiyah.