In Memory of a Mother, a Daughter, and a Sister.

My name is Andres; I'm the second youngest of four children. I started this fundraiser for my mother, Maria, who recently passed away. She was the eldest amongst her siblings and a significant pillar in our family. Quite literally, she raised at least a dozen children, if not more, in her lifetime, even if they were not her own, and unfortunately, she lived long enough to see some of them go before her, including one of her own. As a child, she had to step in for her siblings in an abusive household; in her adolescence, she had my eldest brother, which was a blessing and everlasting gift whenever asked about it, and later she would find herself blessed a few more times. My mom, Maria, always wanted a daughter but often said, "God gave me three beautiful boys instead." She inevitably adopted my sister and fulfilled her wish. With great fortune also came turmoil because that's how life finds balance.

 

As the four of us became older, extended relatives disappeared, and our mother, the strong woman she was, placed more and more of her loved ones into the ground with passing age. Her faith was truly tested when the second eldest of her children, Anthony, was too taken. Although I saw my mom cry at the loss of her brothers, nephews, nieces, aunts and uncles, it all did not compare to the loss of her child. We could never imagine our mother going so soon, she was a superhero embodied, and if she said she was invincible, we would half-heartedly believe her. Nonetheless, she would often say when it was her time to place her with her son, they would return to the Kingdom of God hand-in-hand because she was a devoted Christian.

 

While alive, my mother could never find an opening plot of land next to my brother Anthony. In recent years, she proposed being cremated and scattered, an alternative to her original plea. The remaining three of us, working together, got her that plot, no more than ten paces from my brother but not within what was left for us in expenses. I could comfortably say that we don't plan on letting that go, but we could use a helping hand to make it possible. Anything gathered strictly goes towards the burial and services; we will place more roses and keep none of the proceeds if the limit is exceeded. Our mother gave us enough by being our first life teacher, and we would like to give back by sending her off with her last wishes.

 

Thank you in advance for your consideration.