Finding Life After Loss: Support for Maile and Zuma

I’m Maile Navarro—Kingston, Zuma, and Jaden’s mom. And I’m trying to build something that lasts.

After my 9-year-old son Kingston passed away from brain and spinal cancer, I knew I couldn’t go back to life as it was. I had spent six years as his full-time caregiver—fighting for therapies, coordinating treatment, advocating through red tape—and when he died, my job, identity, and income disappeared all at once.

It’s only been 10 months. And somehow I’m already expected to be okay, financially stable, and fully back to work. I took a a job. It didn’t even last a month. The schedule changed, the work-from-home deal vanished, and I have no childcare for my 9 year old and I cannot just leave her alone every day.

I am still trying to work out the cost to deal with my car with expired tags and a blinking check engine light, hoping I wouldn’t break down or get pulled over. I couldn’t keep up. And now I’m back at zero again—rent behind, car still not legal, and no reliable income.

But I don’t want short-term patches anymore. I want to build something sustainable.

I just can’t do it alone.

I’m raising this round of support to help cover urgent basics while I build work that actually works—for me, for my daughter Zuma, and in honor of Kingston.

What this fundraiser will support:

• Rent + car costs to stay housed and mobile

• Cheer tuition for Zuma—her one safe space right now

• Paid time and resources to grow the creative projects that can generate long-term income and advocacy impact

What I’m building:

• LiveLikeKingston.org — a nonprofit to support families navigating pediatric cancer and the hidden aftermath no one talks about

• Zuma’s Magical Balloon — a children’s book on grief and letting go (already live on Amazon, with more books coming)

• The AfterWords Podcast — a raw, real, often funny series about life after loss, grief science, spiritual signs, and finding meaning again

• Paid speaking, writing, and advocacy work to change how we support caregivers and families like mine

This isn’t about “starting over.” It’s about starting something real.

If you’ve followed our story, thank you for standing by us. If you’re just joining—welcome. You’re helping create the kind of life I’ve never had the stability to build before. One where grief, purpose, and financial survival don’t have to compete.

If you’re able to give, every dollar helps me buy time, cover survival, and invest in work that can actually grow.

If you’d like to back a specific part—like author copies of the book, the Reader’s Favorite book contest entry fees, or sponsoring the podcast or nonprofit—I would love to talk to you directly.

Please reach out. Send me a message here through GFM, carrier pigeon, morse code. I'll be here.

Thank you for believing in me, and in what this could become.

—Maile