Help Us - Harper’s 1st Birthday Marred by Tragedy

On August 8, 2023, my first (and so far only) grandchild Harper celebrated her first birthday. However, what should have been a joyous occasion was overtaken by a tragic event deeply affecting my son Justin and his wonderful wife Tara, Harper’s parents.

Many of you are familiar with Justin’s virtuoso guitar work and have enjoyed the various recordings we’ve made over the years. Aside from working with me on our albums, Justin has been quite busy with domestic issues over the last few years.

Back in June of 2017, Justin and his lovely bride Tara were married in a beautiful ceremony in Idyllwild, CA. They soon moved into their own little home in Palm Springs. Joining them was Tara’s mom Colleen who was suffering from a number of health issues, which required around-the-clock care. During this period, Tara worked full-time as a pharmacy technician at a large local hospital. Simultaneously, Justin was managing a local store while also working toward a degree, which would allow him to become a telemetry technician. Together, they would alternate their schedules to provide care for Colleen in their home.

One year ago, Justin and Tara welcomed their first child into the world, Harper Everly Minasian. Harper’s arrival brought not only an overabundance of love and joy into the lives of this young couple, but it also brought a new set of challenges as you might expect. Both Tara’s and Justin’s work hours had to be adjusted, and their incomes were subsequently reduced.

A week prior to Harper’s first birthday while Tara and Justin were in the process of planning a little celebration, Colleen was rushed to the hospital. Sadly, she passed away on August 5, 2023, which coincidentally happened to be Tara’s birthday. Against incredible odds, Tara’s dad had died exactly 9 years earlier, also on her birthday.

Needless to say, the emotional toll on this little family has been tremendous. But it’s also taken a financial toll as well. As Colleen's primary caretaker, Justin's monthly income has now literally been reduced by $1800 overnight. This loss of income, plus cremation costs, along with previously reduced incomes and various outstanding bills related to Colleen’s care are currently having a devastating impact on Tara and Justin. One example, an electrical bill totaling more than $4000 used to run Colleen’s in-home medical equipment, is already past due. Justin hopes to get hired soon now that he has his new degree, but it hasn’t happened yet. In addition, a recent repair to the air conditioner in their home resulted in a roof leak, which caused thousands of dollars in water and mold damage in the baby’s room. Currently, both the air conditioner and roofing companies are refusing to take responsibility for the damage.

If you are able, please donate to help this lovely young couple survive the coming challenges in the days ahead.

Thank you!

David Minasian