My nephew Robert the III was an amazing person who went through a lot growing up, but always stood tall through it all. Robert was the youngest of three and the oldest of five, leaving behind his mother who loved him deeply, one sister, and six brothers. Just eleven days before he passed, his father died, and Robert was deeply involved in honoring his dad's traditional Ojibwe journey. He helped give his father a traditional cedar bath, dressed him, served as a pallbearer, and assisted in the burial. He was so proud of his dad's services and mentioned that he wanted the same for himself one day.

Tragically, just two days after his father's funeral, Robert passed away. Our family is heartbroken and struggling to fulfill his final wish—to prepare for his journey in the same traditional way as his father. Because his dad was an enrolled member of the Leech Lake Reservation but Robert's blood quantum wasn't high enough for enrollment, the assistance available to us is very minimal. It doesn't cover any of the expenses from the funeral home, leaving us with significant costs during an already difficult time.

We are reaching out for help to cover the funeral home costs so we can honor Robert's memory and give him the send off he deserves. Any support you can offer would mean so much to our family as we try to honor his wishes and help his siblings through this unimaginable loss.