This past weekend the most catastrophic tragedy imaginable befell our community and we lost three cherished Islanders. Five year old Kinsley Grubb, three year old Sawyer Grubb, and their grandmother, Sharon Bukulmez, were taken from us and there are no words to accurately describe the sense of loss and sadness that is blanketing our community.

Kinsley and Sawyer Grubb lit up the lives of their parents, Peter and Becca, their grandparents, their aunts and uncles and cousins, their teachers, and their friends. Pete and Becca are incredibly hard working parents, trying to create the best life for their young family. The profound devastation they must be feeling is nothing that we can understand or make sense of and the collective hearts of all of us are breaking for them.

Sharon was the kindest person I've ever known. She would quite literally give you the shirt off her back. She used her smile to lift others. Her selflessness shined in so many ways, through her work at MDI Hospital, her friendships, her volunteerism, and her family. She listened, she cared, she gave - all the time. Where she beamed brightest, however, was in the love of and care for her two grandchildren. There was absolutely nothing she wouldn't do for them. Her absence will leave a palpable hole in this community forever.

Our goal in this campaign is to assist the family financially so they can focus their energy where it belongs, on grieving and remembering and finding a way forward. So many of us want to help the Grubb family and though we all want to wrap them in a big community hug, the time for that is not right now. For the moment, we need to express our love and sorrow by supporting them with generosity and space. We cannot take the pain away from this beautiful family, but we can help in other ways, including financially, to ease the immense burden that lies ahead.

Thank you for everything. For caring about this beautiful family, for giving if you can, for praying if you do, for being part of this community we love so much. And please tell your people how much you love them. Peace.