Help Mother Protect Her Children from Abuse and Injustice

Hi! I'm starting this GoFundMe campaign to help my good friend, a devoted mother of two in Austin who is fighting to protect her children and herself from an abusive ex-husband -- an affluent tech executive who has weaponized his wealth to strip her of resources, custody, and legal recourse -- leaving her desperate for support to afford proper legal representation and safeguard her family’s future.

My friend’s story is one we hear of way too often. An abusive relationship that started with subtle manipulation, then cruel words, psychological abuse, and physical lash outs. While obvious from the outside that the abused partner should have left long ago, the toll the abuse took on her self-esteem froze her in place, helpless. It is very much like the fable of the frog in boiling water -- once she realized she was in trouble, getting out is extremely difficult.

My friend is a loving mother of two elementary school-age children in Austin. She works for the local school system, while her ex-husband is a highly paid executive at a technology company. He has vowed to take everything away from her. In his own words, he wants to ensure she is "left on the street with nothing and no one."

He has access to high-priced lawyers, and he has paid consultants tens of thousands of dollars to accomplish that goal. He has already taken primary custody of the children. He has emptied all the money out of their joint accounts. He is from another country and has threatened to take the children and leave the country and never to return.

At this point, she is left with very few resources and options. Community lawyers are overloaded and bursting at the seams with caseloads. They cannot file the important court documents she needs to make her case. Experienced trial attorneys cost $15,000 to $50,000 (or more to address additional legal attacks from her ex), funds that she currently does not have.

She is most worried about her children. As she shares custody with her abusive ex-husband, she has collected evidence of him controlling and coercing them. But the courts have not seen this evidence because she has only had access to community lawyers who cannot meet her needs.

She desperately needs our help now. Every dollar will go directly toward her legal retainer so she can protect her children and herself from further harm. Your donation -- no matter the amount -- will help restore fairness and give a voice to someone who has been silenced too long.

This is not just about legal fees. It is about standing up to injustice. It is about making sure that money does not become the only voice heard in court. And it is about giving two children the chance to grow up safe and loved.

Thank you so much for your compassion and support.