We are the staff at the Hernández K-8 school in Roxbury. Tragically, the mother of three of our students passed away this weekend in the Dominican Republic. Their father had been planning to bring mom to the United States, and the whole family was excited about her arrival.

Now the children face spending Christmas without their mother, and away from their father, if we cannot pull together the $4500 for airfare by 12/23.

But we know that our community is strong and generous. We know that each one of you reading this will donate even a small amount to help us get these beautiful children a chance to say goodbye to their mother. We don’t ask on behalf of a family very often, but we are asking now, and we are asking urgently. Bring their family together one final time.

Our urgent goal is $4500 for airfare, but anything raised above that will go toward outstanding medical expenses and burial.

Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.