Hi, my name is Zach, and I’m raising funds to help my mother, LuRae, who is currently fighting Stage 4 cancer and is now without heat in her home.

Since her husband passed away four years ago, my mom has lived alone and relies on SSDI. Her health has declined significantly. She struggles to get around, cannot safely use her fireplace due to the oxygen in her home, and depends entirely on her furnace for heat.

Recently, her furnace stopped working completely. I drove an hour to diagnose the issue myself, hoping it was something simple I could fix. Unfortunately, the system is extremely old, and the control board is completely dead. With the board not powering anything, I can’t even confirm whether the blower motor has also burned out. It’s likely the entire furnace needs to be replaced.

Replacement parts for this system are no longer available or cost as much as replacing the furnace altogether, which makes normal repair impossible. With winter already here, my mom is sitting in a cold home with only a couple of small space heaters to rely on — all while battling Stage 4 cancer. I’m doing everything I can to keep her safe, but I can’t do this alone.

I’m raising funds to help cover:

• A new furnace or emergency replacement unit

• Installation costs

• Any immediate heating needs to keep her safe until the furnace can be replaced

My mom has always been a strong, humble woman who never asks for anything. She has always “figured it out,” even when life was hard. But now, she’s in a place where she truly needs help.

Anything you can give — big or small — will go directly toward getting heat back into her home and making sure she stays warm and safe through the winter while she fights for her life.

If you can’t donate, please consider sharing this. It truly makes a bigger difference than you know.

Thank you for helping my mom, and thank you for taking the time to read her story.

— Zach