GoFundMe Campaign Title:

"Help Kristi Breathe Again: A Fight for Life After Two Failed Surgeries"

Hello, my name is Kristi Roston, and for nearly ten years I’ve been fighting a battle that most people only imagine in their nightmares — the fight to simply breathe.

I was diagnosed with severe sleep apnea almost a decade ago, and over the years, that diagnosis has turned into a life-or-death struggle. I’ve spent countless nights on oxygen, gasping for air, praying for sleep that never truly comes. Alongside that, I’ve been living with Multiple Sclerosis (MS), which has made every day more difficult to face — physically, financially, and emotionally.

Over the past few years, I’ve endured repeat tracheotomy surgeries, each one meant to help me breathe normally again. Unfortunately, the last two have failed — not because I didn’t fight hard enough, but because the equipment and maintenance costs are far beyond my means. At one point, after an infection and lack of access to replacement parts, I had to make the terrifying decision to remove the apparatus myself just to inhale and keep my job.

Now, my condition has worsened. My throat has collapsed, surgery was November 6, 2025 my doctors have told me with this final surgical attempt, I can never go back to my old life if I want to stay alive. That means I can no longer work.

I’ve applied for disability, but my initial claim was denied — a process that feels cold and heartless when you’re literally struggling to breathe. I’m trying to appeal, but in the meantime, I have no income and no way to afford the medical care, oxygen supplies, and trach maintenance that I urgently need to survive.

I have two adult children doing their best to help support me and four beautiful grandchildren who remind me every day why I must keep fighting.

Your help could truly be the difference between life and death for me. Every donation — no matter how small — helps me afford the care, equipment, and stability I need to breathe safely and regain some quality of life.

I’ve always been the one who worked hard and took care of others. Now, I’m asking — humbly — for help to keep going.

Thank you for reading my story, for sharing it, and for caring enough to help me fight for my next breath.

With love and gratitude,

— Kristi Roston

Fundraising Goal:

$45.000 (for medical expenses, oxygen equipment, home health support, and living costs while awaiting disability approval.)