I called her my bonus mom. She was estranged from her family and very lonely when we met through group therapy, but we quickly clicked and became close. She was disabled and struggled to take care of her home, so she asked me and my husband to help her, offering a small fee each month. It soon became clear that she couldn't really afford it, but she desperately needed the help, so we continued to support her without expecting anything in return. Our relationship grew beyond chores—we would sit and talk for hours, sharing stories and laughter. She was incredibly sweet and kind-hearted, always wanting to help others however she could.

With a lot of hard work over a couple of years, we helped her get approved for a program that provided cleaning help through her Medicaid benefits. Even after that, we still visited every week to spend time together, and at one point, when we briefly lost our home, she welcomed us in. She was always there for me, offering advice and comfort whenever I needed it. We spoke every day by text and talked about everything under the sun. Over the last year, her health declined with multiple hospital stays, and although she had just returned from a rehab facility, she seemed exhausted but okay. On April 7, 2026, she passed away in her sleep of natural causes.

She had no life insurance or savings, and all of her end-of-life responsibilities have fallen to me. I am proud to be her daughter in spirit, but the unexpected costs of cremation, final bills, and cleaning out her apartment are more than my family can bear alone. We are asking for help from our community to honor her memory and support us through this difficult time. Anything left over I plan to use for a Supernatural themed urn for her ashes.