Hello - I'm Michael Howell and I'm here asking for help with my moms cremation, final expenses, and her last wish to find her siblings. My mom passed away peacefully here at home on Easter Sunday. I was her hospice caregiver until she lost her battle with alzheimers.

Jane Hewitt was born in Kobe Japan in 1951 and immigrated to the US at a young age with her parents and 5 brothers. Unfortunately, the family was split up and Jane and her siblings ended up in the foster care system. Since she was tough as nails, she persevered and joined the Marine Corps in 1970. She made the rank of Sergeant during her enlistment. Here she is with Maj. Gen. George S. Bowman Jr.

In 1972 after her honorable discharge, she headed out east to Illinois and met Tony Howell to started a family. In 1980, her only son Michael was born in Winfield IL.

After a career as a dental hygenist, she pivoted to the insurance industry as a brilliant paralegal until her retirement.

My mom was as smart as she was beautiful. Everyone loved her. Her razor sharp was matched by a big heart and a great sense of humor. I loved spending time with her and she was a guiding light in my life. We had each others backs and I never gave up on her.

Due to the nature of alzheimers, I was unable to be gone from the home for more than an hour at a time so saving money was nearly impossible.

I'm asking for $5,000 to cover her cremation as well as final expenses to settle her estate. My mom wasn't on Medicaid so the state of IL won't cover anything and the VA only covers expenses if she passed in a VA facility. To make matters worse, I was told by the social security administration that her last payment for March would be wrenched back and that it could take "several months" to recoup.

Lastly, I want to help locate her 5 siblings. One of them is known but I've been unable to find the other 4 as they went through the adoption process. My mom kept asking for her youngest brother "Jimmy" during her final days and I promised her I would look for them. I believe this to be a photo of her brothers but I have no other information about them.

She gave so much to me so I'd like to help give back to her.

Thank you for your support and I appreciate whatever you can help with.

Thank you,

MIchael Howell