Help three young adult siblings from Parkland, WA while their single mother fights for her life after unexpected complications from surgery in November. They’re suddenly scrambling to pay bills (mainly housing + gas for hospital trips to Tacoma) while their mom is sedated in the hospital. Her health is touch-and-go, and they wait for good news everyday. They’re lovely people who are scared, thrown from their routine, unable to access their regular income, and who could use some real support right now.

^Smiles while celebrating the oldest's graduation in September 2025.

MAIN POINTS OF SITUATION + URGENT NEEDS:

Shelita has had an expectedly complicated recovery from a surgery in mid-November. A couple weeks after the surgery, her oldest noticed that she wasn’t doing well and called an ambulance. She has been in the ICU since the last week of the month. On the morning of November 30th things turned suddenly downhill, and Shelita has been fighting for her life since then. As one ICU doctor put it, she is not “out of the woods” as she needs an operation which they cannot perform until she has healed a bit more. Until then, she is under constant sedation.

This means her three young adult children have to scramble to pay rent and other bills, without Shelita’s guidance or access to her accounts. (They could not foresee this medical emergency, so they did not communicate about finances ahead of time.) All while they’re worried about their mom’s survival.

There's a chance Shelita may be transferred to a Seattle hospital soon for more intensive care, which will increase the need for emergency gas money. On the other hand, if things go well in the Tacoma hospital and Shelita does come home soon, the family has been through so much that the extra money would be a huge relief and the support would be much appreciated anyway. There is no local extended family, and family further away can’t help much right now. The siblings share one car, and the person who drives it (middle sibling) cannot work right now because the hospital trips are too disruptive to a working schedule. Community support is needed to fill the gaps right now.

THE SIMPLE ASK:

(1) Three months of the family’s responsibility for rent in their 4-bedroom apartment: $1400 x 3 = $4200

PLUS

(2) Extra gas money to cover hospital trips which are becoming increasingly frequent: $500

TOTAL = $4700

BACKGROUND - HOW I KNOW THE FAMILY:

I tutored one of the siblings starting about 8 years ago, and developed a personal relationship with the family. (I’ve learned I enjoy baking for them over the holidays. It’s satisfying.) In 2023, the youngest two siblings attended a summer camp at 2nd Cycle, where my husband was transitioning out of his position as the Executive Director. The youngest sibling began working at 2nd Cycle towards the end of that summer, and he still works there today! He’s 18 and shows up for 12th grade daily even during this turmoil.

The middle sibling has bright ambitions to be a firefighter. She studied Fire Science in Alaska for a couple semesters before returning home (school is expensive)! Steady under pressure and holding a lot together.

The oldest sibling recently graduated from an Auto Mechanic program! She took great care of Shelita after the first operation and holds a heavy burden of making some tough calls in this situation.

Shelita is a warm-hearted, funny person who has really been through it and has raised some wonderful people. She deserves rest and ease. Would love to give her just a little bit of that when she wakes up.

I had the privilege of waiting with the family in the hospital on November 30th when they learned things were really serious. I brought snacks and made dumb jokes for a few intense hours. And since then, it’s been a “wait and see” situation, while the financial demands of survival grind forward.

I’ve been checking in with the siblings most days, and together we’re trying to figure out what they need. They’re aware of this GoFundMe on their behalf. They’re scared but hopeful, and coping the best they can.

SOME OTHER WAYS YOU CAN HELP:

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT. Even small amounts mean the world.

LOVE,

Caroline (and Shelita and family)