Hello everyone, I am Shelby. This week, my sweet mother, Kelly, made one of the most difficult and heroic decisions a woman can make: exiting a 30-year relationship in which she, my brother, and I, until we were adults, endured continuous struggles with domestic violence with a verbally, emotionally, and physically abusive partner. She filed a domestic violence report and order of protection, and we have arranged for emergency resources to be provided via DVP Texarkana in the past couple of days. She is currently safe and staying with family.

This afternoon, her home (the home I grew up in) and all of her belongings caught fire, ending in a total loss of the home and contents. The cause of the fire is under investigation at this time; however, it is clear that my mom has lost everything. Unfortunately, there was no insurance or safety net in place for a catastrophic event such as this. The fire started while she was sorting out everything at the DVP office. We have connected with the Red Cross of Texarkana to secure emergency assistance as she has lost everything except what she packed quickly earlier this week when she left the home and her vehicle.

My mother is one of the most caring and loving humans on the planet—giving to others all that she can without hesitation. She collects clothes and donates them to children in need. She makes sure her neighbors are cared for. She cleans houses for the elderly. She cares for others animals while they are out of town. She is always the one you call when you need help. She devotes her time to give back in any way she can. She has worked as a custodian for a number of years at the elementary school I went to and continued to persevere with love and positivity regardless of what happened behind closed doors. Anyone I speak to always talks about the kindness and selflessness of my mother. Many people never knew of her struggles, but she has given me permission to share them now with the world so that her losses are not in vain. Her battle with domestic violence ends today.

I am reaching out to our community as she is in need of starting her life all over again. Any donations provided will be directly applied to clothing, groceries, deposit/rent for a living space, car maintenance, furniture, legal expenses, and counseling/therapy services. Any amount helps and is so appreciated.

It is never too late to start over. If you think you are in a situation that sounds similar, there are resources and people that can get you the help you need to live the peaceful and happy life you deserve. DVP Hotline: 1.800.799.7233 | DVP Website