I’ve always found it difficult to ask for help—especially from the general public. It makes me deeply uncomfortable to reach out like this, and even more so to put my personal hardships on blast for the world to see. But right now, I’m at a point in my life where I’m struggling more than I ever imagined possible, and after some encouragement from my mom, I’ve decided to take a leap of faith and create a GoFundMe. I’m not certain how much it will help, but I won’t know unless I try. So here I am, putting my pride aside and opening up about my situation.

On the evening of November 27th, 2024—the night before Thanksgiving—my husband, who was our family’s primary source of income, was arrested. He is now serving time in the Oregon State Penitentiary and won’t be released until May 2027. Since his incarceration, life has unraveled in ways that are hard to put into words. Our savings vanished quickly, and I now live in an RV with our two dogs, doing my best to hold everything together.

Through all the chaos, the one thing that brought me a measure of stability and relief was the car my husband left behind. It was my lifeline. Even as everything else felt like it was falling apart, I remained grateful for that car—because as hard as life is, it’s unimaginably harder on foot.

That changed just over a week ago. After months of driving with two spare donuts on the rear tires, I was finally on my way to get two used tires, thanks to a kind friend willing to help me out. But on the way to the tire shop, the transmission gave out. The car had been showing signs of trouble, but I was hoping it would hold out just long enough to get the tires replaced. I even prayed to God to please just let me make it there. We didn’t. About halfway, the car could barely crawl along at 10–15 mph, the RPMs screaming. I pulled over to give it a break, but when I tried to start it again, it refused to shift into gear. That was the end of it.

While I understand that owning a car is a privilege not everyone has, the reality is that I’ve come to rely on it in ways most people wouldn’t think twice about. My RV requires a jump from a running vehicle in order to move—something far more difficult to arrange with strangers than you’d expect. I was recently approved to visit my husband in Salem, but without a car, the shuttle is nearly impossible since I have no way to leave my dogs alone in the RV for that long. Even basic tasks—hauling heavy bags of dog food or jugs of drinking water—are exhausting and sometimes impossible without transportation. What’s a simple five-minute errand by car becomes an overwhelming ordeal on foot or by public transit.

I’m trying to sell my broken-down Mazda for parts or as a mechanic’s special, but I don’t expect much. It doesn’t drive, and there’s also cosmetic damage to the front fender and passenger door. I don’t know exactly what the repairs would cost, but between towing and fixing the transmission, it’s likely far beyond what I can afford and possibly even more than my husband paid for the entire vehicle to begin with.

At this point, the most realistic path forward is to try and raise enough funds to buy the cheapest running vehicle I can find. From what I’ve seen on Facebook Marketplace, a reliable used car that’s simply functional—nothing fancy—would cost between $1,500 and $2,000.

That number feels impossibly far from where I’m standing now, but I know from experience that even small acts of kindness can move mountains. If enough people can contribute even just a little, piece by piece, we can close the gap. I believe in the power of community—and that even in the hardest moments, we’re never truly alone when people come together.

Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for reading my story.