Help Melissa After Oscar's Sudden Passing

My name is Dawn. I've been one of Melissa's closest friends since 2008 when we lived one door apart from one another on Fort Bragg. This is a devastating time for Melissa and her family. She didn't just lose her husband. She lost her entire world on June 13, 2025.

Oscar was so much more than a husband. He was a father, a son, a brother. A beloved artist, an amateur rapper (you'll have to ask Mel for the proof!) a New Yorker, a farmer and so much more. He was a man who left a deep impression on everyone lucky enough to know him. His heart was big, his laugh contagious and his hugs were better than antidepressants.

Melissa is facing the unthinkable--planning a memorial for her husband, and navigating a life she never imagined without him. Some of you may not be aware, but Melissa was just recently diagnosed with Stage 4 Melanoma, and had just had her first set of scans the day before Oscar left her. An already incredibly heavy time for her, both emotionally and physically just became her absolute worst nightmare.

We're asking for help to cover Oscar's expenses and related expenses so that Melissa can continue to take care of their beloved pets, both farm and reptilian, and take some of the weight of financial strain from her shoulders.

No amount is too small. If you're unable to give, please consider sharing this link and sending love Melissa's way.

Let's come together for Melissa, the way Oscar always came through for his people.

Thank you for your kindness!