I’m creating this fundraiser to help cover the income I’ve lost over the past few weeks. My closest friend, Shane, passed away recently at the age of forty-one. Shane was my first love and soulmate, my forever best friend. We could talk on the phone for hours. He is a person who shaped my heart in ways that will stay with me forever. In his final days, I had the honor of being by his side: caring for him, holding space for his comfort alongside his family, and sharing in the quiet, sacred moments that come at the edge of life.

When he passed, I needed time to pause, to grieve, to rest, and to care for myself after such an immense experience of love and loss. Taking that time was necessary and healing, but it also meant stepping away from work and falling behind financially. Like many, I live paycheck to paycheck.

This has all come at a particularly challenging time, as I’m in my first semester of my Master’s in Social Work at the University of Connecticut. Balancing my studies, work, and this profound loss has been difficult, and the timing, though life rarely asks our permission, has been far from forgiving.

I’m asking for a bit of support to help bridge that gap as I return to my routine and continue to find my footing in the world without Shane’s physical presence. Any contribution, no matter the size, will make a real difference and is received with deep gratitude.

Thank you for reading, for your compassion, and for helping me hold space for both love and loss during this time.

With love and appreciation,

Kelsey