merchant mariner escaping dv with young children

Help Reunite Our Family and Secure Legal Representation

In late March, my young daughter and I made the incredibly difficult decision to leave our home together for our safety. Since then, my husband has offered no contact with my 15-month-old son—except through a lawyer representing him - he chose to respond to a child protection investigation by initiating divorce proceedings.

I’m now raising funds to secure legal representation so I can fully advocate for myself and my children—to prove what we’ve endured, retain full custody of my son, and reclaim the belongings we left behind in what was once our family home.

For legal and safety reasons, I’m keeping the details here intentionally limited. However, I am open and available to share more privately with anyone who wishes to understand our situation further—please feel free to reach out directly.

I am a lifelong career merchant mariner. These days, I’m back on the boats, working hard to save and rebuild our lives. My daughter and I are staying with family while we regain our footing. I’ve recently replaced our family car—taken during the separation—with a vehicle of my own, and step by step we are reclaiming our independence.

My daughter is safe, loved, and slowly healing—despite some lingering anxiety and nightmares. But the ache of separation from her baby brother weighs heavily on both of us. She talks about him constantly, asks when we’ll see him again, and sees my quiet worry. We miss him deeply.

Research shows that cases like ours—those involving custody, divorce, and domestic safety—can cost upwards of $12,000. I’m preparing for the worst-case scenario, and every dollar will go directly toward ensuring we have the legal support we need to come through this with strength and stability.

If more is raised than needed, every remaining cent will be donated to local domestic violence shelters, so others in similar situations can also find a path forward.

Thank you for reading, for your support, and for believing in our future. It means more than I can say.