Help a Single Mom Give Her Boys a Vacation

This is Project LEGOLAND. It’s been rough for us the last 5 years or so. I’m a single mom with 2 amazing, smart, and talented boys. I’m self-employed, and before COVID hit, we were able to enjoy outings and vacations—the money was there.

My oldest child is autistic. ❤️

When COVID happened, he got it so bad that they weren’t sure he was going to make it. We spent more than 12 days total in the hospital while he was hooked up to a respirator, an IV, and other things. We weren’t allowed to leave the room the whole time. It was terrifying. Even when we came back home, he had to breathe using an oxygen tank every night for almost 2 years. The medical bills were overwhelming (still are).

My business isn’t going as well as it had been pre-COVID because people aren’t spending money like they used to anymore.

But I have to keep up with the expenses I’m responsible for. Our last vacation was years ago. We went to California. We went to LEGOLAND, and also to visit my grandparents before coming back to Salt Lake City.

Ever since that trip, we’ve been hoping to go on another vacation, but we haven’t had the money. I haven’t been able to earn enough. I’ve been borrowing. I’ve been trying, and failing. It’s embarrassing.

We keep talking all through the school year about trips we want to take. But we can’t.

I have long COVID, you guys. I’m tired all the time. And I get sick a lot—more than I ever did. I am hoping it will get better. But it’s making me angry. For me, it’s very difficult to feel so incompetent and constantly be ill.

My boys are getting older and it’s been years since I’ve been able to do anything like a vacation—or even a staycation with them.

Last year, I never even made enough money to take them to the theme park.

Before they are both too grown up to want to spend time with their mom, I want to take my kids on another adventure. I want to soak it up—especially in case my illness doesn’t ever go away. (No one knows.) It seems like it’s not. I’m constantly under the weather; one thing clears up, then another one hits me like a wall of bricks.

I have tried to save money, work more hours. I’ve tried to rest more to get “better,” and to plan our next vacation—but I always end up behind on my bills and when all is paid at the end of each month, there’s nothing left.

My boys deserve to have some fun again. We always talk about going on another trip. The whole year we talk about it. Then as summer gets closer, I realize that it’s not going to happen.

If anyone out there could have it in their heart to bless my family, we would be eternally grateful to you. We would never forget such a gift. Such a treasure.

Please, if you can, please help us?