My name is Trevor, and I’m writing this after the sudden and devastating loss of my mom, Laura Dragon, following a long and hard-fought battle with cancer.

Trying to put into words who she was feels almost impossible, because she meant so many different things to so many people. Over the past few days, I’ve been flooded with messages and stories from friends, artists, business partners, and community members whose lives she touched in lasting ways.

My mom was a force in the Phoenix arts community. She founded {9} Gallery on Grand Avenue and later helped build Grand Arthaus, creating space for artists to be seen, supported, and celebrated. She had an instinct for recognizing talent and lifting people up, often before they believed in themselves. Many artists are sharing that their first opportunities, their first shows, or their first real encouragement came from her.

She was a mentor, a business partner, and a fierce advocate for creative expression. Even while facing her own health struggles, she stayed involved, guiding others, booking artists, and continuing to give back to the community she loved.

Beyond her professional impact, she was magnetic on a personal level. She was warm, funny, direct, and deeply genuine. She opened her home to people, showed up when others needed support, and made people feel seen and valued. She carried both strength and compassion in equal measure.

More than anything, she was my mom, and our bond was layered, complicated, loving, and deeply human. She was proud of me in a way that only a mother can be. She talked about me often, encouraged my creativity, and believed in my voice even when life was heavy for both of us. We shared history, laughter, hard conversations, and an understanding that didn’t always need words.

I am now navigating the immediate responsibilities that come with her passing, including funeral and memorial expenses, as well as urgent costs tied to her home and estate. She was in mortgage forbearance at the time of her passing, and there are time-sensitive financial obligations I am working to stabilize so that her affairs can be handled with dignity and care.

I want to give her the farewell she deserves and protect what she worked so hard to build, but the financial weight of doing so during this time has been overwhelming.

If you knew my mom, you know how much she gave when she had the ability to give. I’m asking, humbly, for any support that might help me carry these immediate expenses.

Any contribution, no matter the size, would mean more than I can express. And if you’re unable to give, sharing this fundraiser or keeping our family in your thoughts is deeply appreciated.

Thank you for helping me honor her life, her legacy, and the impact she had on so many of us.

Love saves the day.