Hello, my name is Dean. That’s me on the left — and on the right is Dave, my partner of 10 wonderful years.

Through an extremely random and cruel twist of fate, I lost Dave on October 6th. One moment, he was as bright-eyed and full of life as ever. The next, he was being rushed to the ICU, surrounded by eight medics doing everything they could to bring him back. But the damage had already been done, and eventually, there was no choice other than to let him go. That moment my world changed forever.

I’m a disability pensioner, living with a 12% total person impairment, amongst other disabilities. I worked for as long as I could, but my physical and mental health limits my ability to earn an income. Dave helped keep us afloat — he covered most of the big expenses, including rent. I was paid a tiny bit of the Disability Support Pension that went towards our food. We weren’t super well off - but we were happy and loved.

Now that he’s gone, I’m facing an impossible financial situation. Our rent is $530 per week, while my disability support pension is $1,286 per fortnight. I’m doing everything I can to manage and keep things steady, but right now, the basics — rent, food, medicine, bills — are becoming overwhelming.

I’ve managed to arrange for Dave’s final resting place, but I need some help to get through the next few months while I adjust and find longer-term stability. My goal is to raise $8,000, which will help cover rent and essentials for about three months while I get back on my feet.

Any contribution, no matter the size, will make a real difference and help me stay in our home — the place filled with the memories we built together.

Thank you for taking the time to read this, for sharing, and for helping in any way you can. Your kindness truly means the world to me right now.

With gratitude,

Dean