On the evening of December 1st, my grandmother Mary Swope’s life changed forever. Her house exploded, and in an instant, she lost everything she owned—clothes, blankets, family heirlooms, her cell phone, medicine, and even her shoes. The only things that survived the fire were my grandfather’s urn, her cherished photo albums, and their bibles. Just weeks ago, on November 6th, Mary lost her husband of 60 years, and now she is facing another unimaginable loss.

Thankfully, Mary and her beloved dog Shooby were able to escape the house. Shooby had to spend the night at the vet for oxygen treatments and is still being monitored for eye injuries. Mary is staying with family, but she has nothing left except the sweatpants and sweatshirt we could give her. She is without her medications and the basic comforts of home.

We are raising funds to help Mary replace essentials like clothing, shoes, and personal items, as well as to cover Shooby’s ongoing medical care, including her arthritis medications. Any support will also help with medical expenses that may arise as Mary recovers from this tragedy. Anything helps—if you’re unable to donate, please consider sharing this fundraiser. We know it’s so close to Christmas, but any help right now would mean the world to Mary and our family.