UPDATE: Thank you all so much! We are blown away by your generosity - I am at a loss for words. And 42 donations... what you may not know is "42" was our family's number for all things extravagant - and according to "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy," 42 is the answer to the Ultimate Question of Life. So fitting. I will update her FB group with details for her Celebration of Life as soon as they are finalized. Thank you all again!

As so many know, we all lost our dear Rachel Packard Curtis Monday, April 8th, after a 10-day fight for survival. To say our hearts are shattered is an understatement. She was a light in what could sometimes feel like a dim world, a joyful presence when you needed it the most, and one of the kindest souls who walked this Earth. She was also the best sister, mother, daughter, aunt, friend and wife anyone could've ask for. GoFundMe says "share a few words of remembrance..." But how do you sum of my memories of her in this paragraph? It's impossible, so there's no need to try. Bottom line - she was beauty, inside and out, and love... and our lives will never be the same without her in them.

But today, I am coming to you for help.

We want to give Rachel the celebration she deserves and do not want to have to wait for insurance to do it. We need this for us - and we want to honor her. Funds raised will go directly to support a Celebration of Life, a private service where she will buried with our sweet brother, and a headstone marking her earthly remains.

Asking for help is a hard thing to do, but none of us can do this thing called life alone. Thank you to all who have reached out with your love, prayed with and for us, provided meals and support, "stepped in" on our behalf. We would not be standing without you. We are eternally grateful. And anyone who can help with this final gift to Rachel, we are so grateful. She would be so grateful.

Thank you all.