Shaheim Nehmiah Bray

b. April 06, 2009 – d. February 06, 2022

 

Sunday was anything but a normal day.

 

Sundays are supposed to be when we spend quality time together, cooking for them and watching TV together. It’s the day when my kids don’t have school, and I don’t have work or night school. However, on Sunday, February 06, it was anything but normal.

 

My beautiful, vibrant, 12-year-old boy Shaheim had an asthma attack that his inhaler couldn’t fix. Instead of hugging him, I had to hold his hands tight as the ambulance rushed him to St. Joseph Hospital. Instead of seeing him laughing at his favorite show with his twin brother, I had to watch doctors spend two hours trying to save his life. Instead of seeing him off to sleep to get ready for school on Monday, I had to watch him close his eyes for the final time.

On Sunday, February 6, 2022 – I lost my son. My daughter lost her big brother. My eldest lost his little brother. My middle son lost his other half. None of us were ready for this. To us, this is surreal. Just a few years ago, we learned Shaheim was autistic, and we were so proud of how much progress he made in school once we knew how he learned things. Just a few days ago, he was telling me about his day. Today, we have to plan his burial.

 

Although I work a full-time job and attend night school for accounting, my job doesn’t provide benefits to help me afford to give my son a final resting place. As a single mother, it’s difficult to keep it all together for my other children while also dealing with funeral arrangements. It’s impossible to find an extra $10,000 that I don’t have. So I’m asking for friends, family, and strangers alike to help us out here if you can.

 

I’m not big on handouts. My brother had to talk me into doing a GoFundMe. I’m doing it because it’s what we have to do for Shaheim.

 

Thank you.

 

 

Ronesha Fields, Shaheim's mother.