Rebuilding After Caregiving—Support A Mother’s Next Chapter

Support a Resilient Mother, Elder, and Caregiver’s Next Chapter:

Help her Restore & Rebuild Her Life and Business

Dear Beautiful People,

My name is Dafina Kuficha. I’m a 72-year-old mother, grandmother, and caregiver to my adult son. I have worn many hats, including that of doula, aromatherapist, licensed acupuncturist, community “Auntie Da,” and a woman who loves and appreciates family, chosen or blood.

For many years, it’s been my pleasure and my calling to pour myself into nurturing others—body, mind, and spirit. But today, I come to you simply as a mother, a mother who had endured a life shattering heartbreak, embraced an unexpected calling, and who now humbly reaches out for your support as I rebuild from the basement floor upwards—with hope, with grace, and with purpose.

The Phone Call That Changed Everything

In January 2023, in the dark stillness of the night, my phone rang. On the other end of my phone was a detective. He informed me that my beloved son, Swann, had been shot and was in critical condition in their emergency hospital. Mortified, yes, but no time to address it.

At the time, I lived in southern CA and I knew I needed to get to my son as soon as humanely possible. Writing this is triggering, but I must. I phoned my sister, booked a flight, and phoned the hospital, praying he would be allowed to hear my voice . I knew I had to rely on Invisible Strength to carry me through.

There was no time to think about falling apart. I had to keep my son motivated to stay alive. The emergency nurse assigned to my son, was kind enough to place the phone on speaker. I heard his voice, and with every fiber of my being, I told him: “Your only job is to stay alive. I’m on my way. I Love you.” His weak voice said the same. I didn’t want to hang up, but I knew I had to hurry.

A few hours later, I arrived at my layover city, and phoned the hospital again. Again, the nurse let me speak powerful prayers and healing affirmations over my son who heard me and responded. Angel, my name for the nurse, left his room to fill me in on the extent of my son’s injuries. Four bullets: lungs, spine, shoulder, wrist. I screamed into my scarf in the crowded airport, but the dramatic me, the mother me, who had already experienced the losses of her little ones many years before wished some strong arms were there to hold me up.

Instead, I relied on the strength of my Ancestors with the guidance of God Almighty to help me gather myself, and til this day, I have not returned to my former home state of California. One day, I will.

The Path I Didn’t Choose, Yet, I Embrace with Love

There have many setbacks because his wounds were so grave. As recent as April 2025, my son was hospitalized and it ended up being sepsis. We’d have one step forward and two or even three backwards, but things always turn back to forward. We had so also many things to learn about SCI paralysis. In spite of so much, I learned that triumphs come in all sizes, and for even the slightest of them, I was and remain immensely grateful, for the prayers that poured over us.

Blessed with essential oils, lavender, sweet orange, eucalyptus, frankincense, and other very useful oils, my daily offerings of calm in the chaos, whispered peace, if you will. Diffusing those oils transformed my son’s hospital rooms into sanctuaries, especially at Shepherd’s Center. Doctors, nurses, staff, even other families paused in those aromatic spaces—

Where We Are Now—and Why I’m Reaching Out

My son has begun preparing to begin a powerful new chapter—one where he no longer requires caregiving. Every time I looked up, he had progressed to achieving a new goal he set. Yes, there were lots of setbacks, hospital stays—hard stuff. Now, goals are being achieved that allow for him to reclaim his independence, and he’s doing just that.

He’ll be moving soon, and though the transition stirs many emotions, I follow his lead, proudly releasing him to his next chapter as this is truly his journey. My job has been to learn how and when to help, when to move out of the way, to lean on God’s Grace, move out of worry, and embrace this time we prayed would come. My heart is filled with gratitude and motherly pride. For so long, his healing was my sole focus. Nothing else mattered. But now, I see, we’ve were knocked down, but we've found our footing.

My son, a grown man who had built a vibrant life before this tragedy, is rising to build again, in beautiful, purposeful fashion. And I, the mother, get to witness this moment—not just his rebirth, but my own. His path forward is blessed, guided, directed, and protected. I trust it. And now, it’s time for me to step into my next chapter.

A Tender Call for Healing

It’s time to begin my own healing — emotionally, physically, financially, and spiritually..

I’m seeking $50,000 to support my powerful transition: to renew and restore my own health after over two intense years of caregiving, to cover essential living expenses during this shift, and to rebuild and relaunch my purpose-driven wellness business, I Treasure ME™.

Housing Support & Life Transition

Beginning in August 2025, I will take on full responsibility for the home my son and I have shared. Rent and utilities total $2,400 per month, and until now, our household expenses were split. The lease runs through April 2026, and these coming months will be critical in helping me stay rooted and stable as I rebuild.

I also plan to accompany my son when he moves, to support him in this transition and ease a mother’s heart by seeing where he’ll be living and how it will suit his needs. This new chapter—his return to independence—has always been our shared goal.

The Rebirth of I Treasure ME™

RESTORE, REBUILD, RELAUNCH: my online store and business. I’m seeking support to breathe life back into I Treasure ME™, my handcrafted aromatherapy blends, lovingly created to bless body, mind, and spirit. My business is rooted in healing and purpose. There’s lots of work needed to get the online store up and running. With your support, I will be able to purchase supplies, labels, a printer, hire a professional website and store designer whom I’ve already met, fulfill long-awaited orders, and offer my beloved blends that nurture body, mind, and spirit. I can relaunch my store in a way that’s sustainable, accessible, and aligned with my vision.

I also feel a powerful calling to share my story through spiritual talks, advocacy, and online content. I have been blessed to take spiritual classes recently and want to continue. My calling is to shine light for others walking through the shadows of trauma and transformation. I’m ready to become a steady voice of healing and hope, with open arms, a passionate heart, and a voice shaped by resilience.

With your support, I can rest, renew, restore, rebuild, relaunch, and rise—to heal, to create, and to help others find strength in their own stories.

What Your Contribution Supports:

My physical and emotional recovery (medical care, rest, and holistic healing)

What Your Contribution Supports:

My physical and emotional recovery (medical care, rest, and holistic healing)

Medical and dental bills that total $10,000 incurred since 2023

(I went through huge dental trauma for 8 mos. due to incompetency.)

Monthly housing expenses through April 2026 when lease ends ($2400, includes utilities = $19,200)

Travel support to accompany my son during his move

Professional help to rebuild, restore, relaunch my online store.

Her proposal is approximately a $3,000 investment

1. Improved cataloging and navigation (including revising the menus)

2. Revised product descriptions,

3. An optimized homepage

4. An email program in place to continue promoting my brands and products to my customer base.

Supplies and tools to restock I Treasure ME™, also includes labels, a printer, bulk supplies, replacement of laptop

Storytelling, outreach, and new offerings for community wellness

With Gratitude and Grace

Yes, in the beginning, this journey was devastating— like a 10.0 earthquake shattering the world we knew —but within the rubble, ceaseless blessings bloomed: My son lived. THAT continues to yield endless “Thank You’s!” And though we were left to gather the broken pieces and tend to unimaginable wounds, we continue moving forward, cradled by grace, guided by hope, knowing that we made it beyond the most challenging years of our lives! I am so proud, so honored, so blessed, and strengthened by every miracle that met us on our path. I am so proud of and deeply grateful for my son and his journey, his remarkable resilience, his faith in himself that comes from his faith in God. I am thankful for every prayer, every donation, every kind thought, every call, every hug, every, “God’s got you!” I will remain grateful beyond measure until my last breath.

It’s not easy to ask for help; however, at age 72, I did not envision this myself. I am asking with a full heart, knowing it’s not weak, shameful, or is it embarrassing to do so. (I had to climb over those feelings ☺️ It’s where I am right here and now, on the side of the road with visions of reaching my destination and celebrating a purposeful life. I’m ready to heal and get out and be that light. You know what? I will always be that light! If I can shine through this, there’s no extinguishing it!

Please know: Your support, in any amount, will make a direct and immediate impact. If it’s prayers and high thoughts, I will still feel the blessings. It will all help me create a stable foundation as I move forward, carrying the lessons, the wisdom, the blessings, and the Love of a powerful journey!

I am a woman ready to step into my next season with strength, a loving heart, with deep gratitude, with intention, with grace, and with purpose!

With all my heart—THANK YOU for walking with me, for taking the time to read, to pray, to give. THANK YOU!❤️

Bright moments with Love and Grace,

Dafina Kuficha aka

Rhonda Dafina Kuficha