Hi Everyone,
As much as our family didn't want to do this, we (Jake, Shannon, and I) are out of options. On April 6th, our mom Debbie passed away from a heart attack. Mom went peacefully, but it was very traumatic in the weeks leading up to it.
For those who don't know. Mom suffered a massive heart attack on March 6th. This led to her needing 2 stents placed, with a 3rd that couldn't be placed. Her kidneys have been borderline failing since a clot in 2013 that left her with severe kidney damage. Mom spent a week in the hospital and was then sent to Oakridge Gardens for rehab. Mom was super stubborn and eventually released herself early. She was adamant she could do it herself. We knew she couldn't. She told me in the hospital she knew this time was different and she could feel it. She was scared.
The few weeks she was at home were not good. She was unable to care for herself. Shannon spent countless hours there helping mom change, wash, use the bathroom, and bringing her food. Mom refused to lay in her bed as she said she couldn't breathe. She also turned away a lot of home health care that came to her home, making factors worse.
On Easter Sunday, Shannon & I called for an ambulance to go to her house because of the way she was sleeping in her chair. Mom would not go to the hospital. After pleading with her, she finally agreed to have her vitals taken. Her resting pulse was 156 and that was just from her sitting in the chair. Her blood pressure was also 152/102. She refused medical help and because she could answer all of the questions, they couldn't assist. She told the paramedics and I that she wasn't scared to die anymore.
Monday morning, April 6th I checked mom’s cameras at 6am and she was laying on the floor. I watched for a few seconds to make sure she was breathing. I called out and she responded. I stayed talking with her until Shannon arrived. At 11:49am I received a picture of mom looking into the distance and white as a ghost. At 11:51am, Shannon facetimed me. Mom's head had dropped and she was drooling. I called 911 from my work phone. Shannon had to drag mom out of her chair and start CPR. I was able to reach Jake through my husband Chris's phone and we all rushed there. I counted with Shannon as she did CPR for 10 minutes until the paramedics arrived. We arrived shortly before 12:30pm and that was when they stopped CPR. Mom was gone. To make matters worse, they told us it was being treated as a homicide. They took mine & Shannon's phone to review calls/texts/and mom’s cameras. After 30 minutes, we were finally allowed to say goodbye.
Mom didn't have much, but what she did have, she treasured. We are left with expenses that all of us just need help with. Mom almost had her trailer paid off. It would have been the first home she ever owned in her whole life. The final pay-off for the trailer is $1,624.00.
Today, we had the appointment with Wichmanns. We had hoped and prayed that her cremation would be covered under her state insurance. Today we learned, it is not. That cost will be $1,820.00 and being run through Heart of Valley as a cheaper option. We picked out her urn and ordered that. She wanted a pink urn with a horse on it.
Mom stopped paying her life insurance policy on 1/6/2026. It was effectively cancelled 2/6/2026. There is no life insurance. This was around the time mom had a major stroke with a stent placed in her carotid artery.
We are having to sell mom's trailer to help pay off many things. It breaks our heart, because she loved it so much.
Sunday(4/12/2026), we cleaned the entire trailer out. Several things need to be addressed before we can even list it for sale. Mom has moldy insulation in several areas, a leaking sink that has completely rotted out her floor, and mom was not able to keep up with a mice problem. We have a lot of cleaning, repairs, and painting to do to get it in a sellable condition.
Our mom was really the glue that held everything together and we are trying not to fall apart. We need financial help. This year has been so unkind already and losing her hasn't helped.
Mom was as stubborn as can be, but when you could get past that, she was just a lost soul trying to do right. When our dad left our family and disappeared, she did her best. We always financially struggled growing up, but we made it work. She still left behind a beautiful legacy and taught all of us kids many things. She did make us who we are and we are so thankful for her. Ever since our brother & nephew passed in 2016, we all never recovered. Mom took it very hard and that's when she really started giving up. We love you mom and know you are finally at peace. Plus you are home and reunited with everyone again.
If you can't donate, please share. Anything truly helps. Support helps too. Thank you all for taking the time to read this and please ask any questions.
4/15/2026: Mom's Obituary