I’m writing this on behalf of my friend Holly, because right now she is carrying more pain than any parent ever should and she needs help.

In July 2024, Holly agreed for her daughter to travel abroad to Lebanon, a country in the Levant region of West Asia for what was supposed to be a one month visit, returning home after her birthday in August. The understanding was always that this trip was temporary. Shortly after, regional conflict escalated, and concerns about travel were cited as a reason for delaying her return. However, once conditions stabilized, new reasons were repeatedly given for why her daughter could not come home.

Eventually, Holly was informed that her daughter would remain abroad indefinitely based on claims that it was “essential for her academic future.” While Holly’s daughter is multilingual, her home, primary language, family, and sense of stability are in the United States, with her mother and brother. Holly never consented to her daughter being permanently kept overseas.

Holly is her daughter’s legal mother and the only parent listed on her birth certificate. Her daughter is a U.S. citizen. What began as a trusted agreement has turned into an international child custody case involving the wrongful retention of a child. This has been devastating emotionally, mentally, and now financially.

Holly wakes up every day wondering if her daughter is safe, receiving proper medical care, and getting the love and stability she deserves. No parent should have to live with this kind of uncertainty, fear, or heartbreak.

Her brother asks about her every day.

He wonders where his sister is, why she can’t come home, and when he will get to hug her again. He misses playing with her, laughing with her, and growing up side by side the way siblings are meant to.

No child should have to grow up missing their sister like this, or trying to understand something so big and painful at such a young age.

Because this case involves another country, the legal process is extremely complex, slow, and incredibly expensive. While Holly has been working with U.S. authorities, international cases require legal action on multiple aspects and those costs add up fast.

Estimated costs include:

These are not optional expenses, they are required just to keep the case moving forward.

This fundraiser is not about anger, revenge, or drama. It is about a mother fighting to reunite with her daughter safely, legally, and permanently. Without continued funding, legal progress can stall and delay her daughter’s return even further.

Holly has spent her life being strong for everyone else. Right now, she needs support so she can keep going and continue this fight without breaking under the weight of it all.

The immediate goal of this fundraiser is to cover the next critical phase of legal and international proceedings so Holly can continue fighting without delays.

If you are able to donate, please know that every dollar helps move this case forward.

If you’re not able to donate, sharing this fundraiser still makes a huge difference.

Thank you for reading, for caring, and for standing with a mother who just wants her child back where she belongs. Every share, every donation, and every prayer brings her one step closer to home.