Help Our Family Survive a Painful Legal Struggle

Hi, my name is Krystal, and I’m a mother of three who has been doing everything I can to protect my children and rebuild our lives after nearly a decade of a toxic and psychologically abusive marriage.

For years, I tried to hold our home together, putting my family first—despite the growing darkness behind closed doors. One of my greatest regrets is staying in a situation that exposed my children to fear, trauma, and instability. They deserved safety and peace—and I finally knew I had to make a change.

In 2020, after a third terrifying incident where my ex-husband became blackout drunk, destroyed property in a rage, locked himself in a bathroom, and sent me graphic images of self-harm, I knew it was time to leave—for good. What followed was over a year of working to disentangle our lives while still holding on to the hope that he might get help and become a safe co-parent. Instead, he continued to manipulate me and twist the truth behind the scenes.

Everything changed when my oldest child came forward with allegations that I could not ignore. With the support of the YWCA, I filed a police report and obtained a restraining order. That was the beginning of what has now been over 3 ½ years of navigating a long, painful, and highly contentious custody and divorce battle.

Throughout this time, I’ve had no financial support from my ex. He has not paid child support since March 2022, and rather than taking responsibility, he’s now asking the court for an unfair division of marital assets and debts—and is even trying to have me ordered to pay his attorney fees.

In just the last eight months, we’ve had eight full trial days and multiple court hearings. I’ve only testified once at our last trial day, with one remaining half day of testimony—I simply want this case resolved. Meanwhile, my ex has stretched out his testimony across seven days, using the courtroom to attack and decimate my character and even attempt to discredit my oldest daughter, who bravely testified despite the trauma he caused. He and his lawyer tried to shame and blame her in court with no regard for the pain they were causing, falsely stating we were only there because of her - despite her being a child he had allegedly been grooming for years.

To further complicate matters, at the end of 2024, I was laid off from a company I had helped develop and run for four years—right as the trial was beginning. Unemployment benefits helped us get by for a time, but those have since run out. I’ve taken on odd jobs at every chance I’ve gotten to stay afloat while parenting my children alone, but the cost of legal fees, basic living expenses, and the emotional toll have pushed me to a breaking point.

This is the first time I’ve shared our story publicly. It’s not easy to ask for help—but right now, we truly need it. If you are able to contribute, no amount is too small. Every donation helps us stay in our home, cover mounting legal costs - now upwards of $40k - and, most importantly, move toward the safety, healing, and peace my children and I so deeply deserve.

From the bottom of my heart, thank you for reading and for standing with us. Your kindness, support, and encouragement mean more than words can say.

With love and gratitude,
Krystal