Hello Everyone,

My name is Misty and as some of you know, I lost my son, Reed, to suicide in January of 2023. Since then, I've been focusing on keeping his name alive. Reed was a very kind young man. He always wanted to make sure everyone he cared about was mentally healthy and on the right path. He was all of his friends' "voice of reason" and they miss having that. To try to carry on Reed's mission of kindness and hope is my life now. Since Reed left us, I've held two Poker Runs, started The Reed Haynes Mental Health Matters Scholarship, and The Tarzan Project. I also sell jewelry and other goodies I make to help support my projects.

The scholarship is given out yearly to a graduating high school senior who is going into the mental health field. The Tarzan Project is something I started in March of 2023. I woke up a little after 3 a.m. one morning with a very strong urge to turn the TV on. When I did, Tarzan was on. He was visiting the tree house he lived in as a baby with his birth parents. He was with his mom Kala and put on his birth father's suit. He was getting ready to go to the Americas and his mom was sad. Tarzan said to Kala, "No matter where I go, you will always be my mother." This could not have come at a better time.

I was struggling with wondering if I was still Reed's mom if he wasn't here with me anymore. Do I still have 3 kids or only 2 now? At that moment, I knew I was still his mom and that I always would be. In the next few days, I realized I'm not the only mother wondering this. I'm not the only mother that has lost a child. I'm not the only mother grieving. So, I decided to start The Tarzan Project. Basically, anyone can nominate a mother who has lost a child. That mom will receive a free t-shirt with their child on the front and the quote, "No matter where I go, you will always be my mother," on the back. These shirts cost $15-$20 to make and I have been using mostly money out of my pocket to fund this. I do use some of the money I make with my jewelry, but it's not a lot and most of it goes towards the scholarship.

Any funds earned during this campaign will be split between The Reed Haynes Mental Health Matters Scholarship and The Tarzan Project. Most of it going to the Scholarship Please help me bring awareness and keep my son's name alive and help other mothers suffering from child loss. January 18th, 2026 will be three years since Reed left this earth. I miss my child more than I can possibly explain to you. If you've never lost a child, you couldn't possibly understand the pain grieving moms go through. Thank you for sharing or donating. Either helps more than you know!