Please help our family lay our loved one to rest. Any and all help is greatly appreciated! Grief is hard and financial challenges can complicate the process. Again, we are grateful for the prayers and support in our efforts to lay our Patriarch to rest!

Support for the Sears Family - In Loving Memory of James & Recovery for Jaymaht Sears

On the morning of July 20th, 2025, a senseless act of violence devastated the Sears family.

What started as a joyful day-James Sears attending a Mariners game with his children— ended in unimaginable tragedy. After the game, James, Jaymaht and members of his family stopped by a local bar in Burien to visit one of James' sons at work. While outside, Jaymaht noticed a vehicle had struck his car. The driver, clearly intoxicated, was passed out behind the wheel. Acting out of concern, Jaymaht reached into the vehicle to put it in park and remove the keys to prevent further harm.

Moments later, everything changed

A friend of the impaired driver approached, became confrontational, and—without warning-threatened to shoot.

Jaymaht tried to de-escalate, even attempting to push the weapon away, but the man opened fire.

In a matter of seconds, James was fatally shot, and Jaymaht was hit three times while trying to escape. He suffered gunshot wounds to his neck, abdomen, and back. One bullet shattered his L4 and L5 vertebrae, lodging dangerously close to his spine.

Miraculously, Jaymaht survived—but his road to recovery will be long and incredibly challenging.

Now, I Tashia Kercheval James' beloved wife and Jaymaht's mother, is faced with the unthinkable: planning a funeral for my husband while becoming the primary caregiver for her injured son. This trauma has placed my family in a profound emotional and financial crisis.

We are asking our community, near and far, to rally around Tashia and the Sears family during this time of heartbreak and healing.

Your donation will help cover:

• Funeral expenses for James Sears

• Medical care, rent, and daily living needs for Jaymaht during his recovery

• Support for my family as she navigates caregiving responsibilities and grief

Our goal is to raise $30,000 to help ease the burden on my grieving family and provide them the stability and resources we need to move forward.

If you cannot donate, please share this campaign with your networks. Every bit of love, support, and visibility matters.

We are grateful and thankful,

Sears Family