Hi, my name is Iris, and I'm helping Erin Carol recover from recent theft and job loss by hosting this fundraiser on her behalf. Here is what Erin has shared:

"Dear Lovely Humans,

Life has thrown me some very unexpected challenges over the last two years. I’ve had to work hard and without pause to begin a new life with a new job in a new home. I’m open about the reality that I live with complex PTSD, and it affects every aspect of my life. I’m proud of the life I’ve created since I permanently left an abusive relationship and my home. And it has cost me, not only psycho-emotionally and logistically, but also financially.

On May 11, 2023, I awoke to find my locked Toyota Tacoma, which I own outright, stolen from my driveway during the night. It took me a full minute to process that my truck was really gone! I live on a quiet, dead-end street with neighbors I know and like.

A lifelong cyclist, I had never owned a vehicle until 2021. That year, however, my little sister Britta completed suicide. In Britta’s memory, I used the money she left behind to purchase a truck for my traveling yoga nonprofit.

My favorite aspect of the truck by far is the “Be a Good Person” bumper sticker on the tailgate. Just months before her suicide, Britta passed her motorcycle driver’s test, and she wore a black t-shirt that read “Be A Good Person” during the filmed test drive. Last year, I designed bumper stickers and sent them to family and friends in Britta’s memory.

I hope the person who took my truck decides to return it. I hope that it is returned intact. And I’m working to accept that I may never see my truck again. I feel embarrassed for having left anything in my truck overnight, even though it was locked. I will not make that mistake again!

Adding insult to injury, I also lost my job unexpectedly on May 15, 2023. Whether my truck and other stolen items inside are returned or not, the theft has incurred significant costs for me, including insurance deductibles, loss of work income, 20 sets of yoga blocks, 5 yoga mats, cash, clothing, and sentimental items.

I’m really struggling. It’s difficult for me to ask for help but I can’t afford to recover these losses on my own, so I am asking for your help. No amount is too small. I am grateful you’re here reading this. Please help if you can, whether financially or by sharing the fundraiser. Thank you so much!"