Hello Everyone,

I am Aaron Pletz, stepfather to Makayla Rutka (Plaza) since she was just 3 years old. Wednesday morning, April 1st, we all received news of tragedy that Makayla Marie Rutka was no longer with us and in the embrace of God. Makayla leaves behind three beautiful children, a girl and two boys, ages 8, 5, and 2 years old. The boys are safe and cared for by their loved ones at this time.

Makayla’s story is not over; her family and children will now face the challenge of accepting this as their new reality.

We ask our friends, coworkers, family, survivors of DV, and our community to spread her story, as she was a victim of domestic violence and was failed by the judicial system.

For those who are able to help, Makayla’s family now carries the weight of legal fees, funeral expenses, and overall financial and emotional support. Her children are starting over in a new but familiar home, the one she grew up in. It has been in the family for the last 32 years. Although they are deeply loved, the space is limited, making an already difficult transition even harder. We want them to be able to keep it in the family and have her boys grow up there as she did.

Our goal is to give them a home where they can feel safe, supported, and have the space they need to grow and heal, with no financial burden. They are in need of our community to come together and support these babies and make them as comfortable as possible to adjust to this life with their new guardian angel, Makayla.

Thank you everyone for the online support we have received. We ask for privacy at this time for this new path that we are forced to take on.