Our family is asking for help during one of the most difficult times we have ever experienced.

On August 4, 2026, Shannon’s beloved mother, Karen, passed away after a courageous battle with pancreatic cancer. In her final weeks, Shannon devoted herself completely to her mom—spending countless hours by her side, advocating for her care, making sure she was comfortable, and ensuring she was never alone.

There was never a question of where Shannon needed to be. Her place was with her mom.

That decision came with a financial cost. Shannon missed a significant amount of work while caring for Karen, and together we have been trying to balance caregiving, our home, our responsibilities, and our small business. Like many families facing the loss of a loved one, we are now facing funeral and end-of-life expenses while trying to keep up with our own monthly bills.

To make matters even more difficult, the family recently learned that the life insurance policy they believed would help cover these expenses was unfortunately not in place. They had been counting on those benefits to ease the financial burden, and discovering that the coverage was unavailable has been another heartbreaking blow during an already devastating time.

Asking for help is not easy. We have always believed in working hard and doing everything we can on our own. But right now, we simply need a little help getting through this season of life.

Any donation, no matter the amount, will help ease the financial burden of:

• Funeral and memorial expenses

• Hospice and other end-of-life costs not otherwise covered

• Household bills that have become difficult to manage because of lost income during Karen’s illness and passing

• Giving Shannon the time she needs to grieve without the immediate fear of falling behind financially

If you are unable to donate, we completely understand. Sharing this fundraiser and keeping our family in your thoughts and prayers means just as much.

To everyone who has called, sent messages, brought meals, prayed for us, visited Karen, or simply stood beside us through this journey—thank you. Your kindness has carried us through moments we never imagined we’d have to face.

Karen was deeply loved and touched the lives of everyone who knew her. She had a heart big enough to make everyone feel like family, and her love, kindness, and generosity will never be forgotten. Her memory will continue to live on in all of us, and we are grateful for every act of compassion as we begin learning how to move forward without her.

With all the love and gratitude, we can’t thank you enough.