I’m River. I’m 25 years old and a new mother. I never thought I’d be a mom, never planned for it, but two months ago I welcomed my son, Benjamin, into the world and my entire life changed in the most beautiful way. Around the same time, everything else changed too.
The Accident
My partner, Chris, who works in IT, was seriously injured at work. He fell through a ceiling and shattered his heel. He recently underwent major surgery, with plates and screws placed in his foot, and is now bedridden facing a long recovery that's estimated to be at least 10 weeks.
In a matter of weeks, I went from having nobody relying on me to now having the responsibilities of caring for both my newborn son and my recovering partner full time.
Our Current Situation
We’re currently staying in a rented room in his boss’s home while we figure out our next steps.
Renting the room we stay in at his boss’s home worked well for the two of us, but now with Ben, it’s become cramped. With Chris navigating the space on crutches and very limited room to set up more than a bassinet, it’s started to feel pretty tight.
Every day, I’m doing everything I can to make things work and keep our environment as safe and comfortable as possible for both of them.
How Your Support Helps
I’m reaching out because we’ve hit a point where we could really use some help getting through this stretch.
Your support would go directly toward:
- Covering basic necessities for our newborn
- Helping us stay stable while Chris recovers
- Allowing us to work toward a more suitable living situation
- Filling in the gaps while we wait for assistance programs to come through
What We Need Right Now
I’ve applied for WIC and SNAP and am actively working through that process, but in the meantime, we’re trying to cover some immediate needs:
- Food: Making sure I’m able to eat enough to support breastfeeding and keep up with Ben’s needs
- Breast Pump: A simple pump would help me continue feeding him consistently
- Safe Sleep: We’re working toward getting a proper sleep setup as he continues to grow
- Basic Care Items: Things like ear drops and skin care essentials Ben needs right now
How to help us directly:
If you’re able to donate here, share, or even just take a moment to read our story, thank you. Truly. This little family means everything to me, and I’m doing everything I can to give us a real chance.
- River's Amazon Baby Registry: Directly assisting with basic necessities to care for Ben and me+things I want and think would make caring for Ben and Chris easier on me.
- River's Cashapp: I'm not sure if I'm even allowed to put this here, but I figured I would include it just in case.
I can’t afford not to do everything I possibly can to give my family stability, and I will do whatever it takes to make sure my son grows up safe, healthy, and with a steady, comfortable place to grow.
A Bit of My Story
For most of my life, I struggled with depression and instability. It made it hard to picture a future for myself for a long time.
Becoming a mother changed that.
Ben gave me a sense of purpose I didn’t have before, and a reason to keep pushing forward no matter how overwhelming things feel. I may not have had everything figured out walking into this, but I’m committed to building a stable, healthy life for my beautiful family.
Asking for help has never come naturally to me, but I’m learning that doing everything alone isn’t always the strongest option, especially now.
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