What started as a small patch of mildew around a skylight in my Sister Kara & my Brother in law Kyle’s home, has turned into a devastating crisis for their family. After my Sister noticed mold in their hall bathroom, they called a specialist, expecting a simple leak. But once the area was opened up, they were told terrible news: their attic is filled with two types of black mold, spreading across the bathroom, laundry room, front entrance, and even the kids’ bedrooms. The team won’t know if it affects the entire attic and roof until they can access more areas — and if it does, the costs and reconstruction will double.

Even worse, the mold has been entering the home through an unsealed vent in the hallway right outside my niece Kaya’s bedroom door. Kaya already struggles with some health issues and mold sensitivity, and no one knows how long she or the rest of the family have been breathing it in. Because of this, specialists told them they are not safe to stay in their home during the remediation.

Now Kara, Kyle, my nephew, nieces, and their beloved pets — their dogs and even their chickens, all have to be uprooted or made other arrangements for. They must pack everything they own, put it into storage, and find temporary housing while still paying their mortgage.

Storage fees, temporary lodging, pet care, transportation, food, and daily essentials will all become new monthly expenses on top of the massive remediation and reconstruction costs ahead. To make matters more difficult, the mold remediation alone could cost an estimated $30,000+ depending on how far the mold has spread. This does not include the repairs that will follow, such as flooring, drywall replacement, or potentially replacing the entire roof.

And right when they think things couldn’t get any worse, the head gasket in their truck just went out — leaving them with a major, unexpected repair bill on top of everything else. This is the vehicle they rely on for work, for the kids, and now for moving back and forth during the remediation process.

To make this even more stressful, If they can’t find an affordable place to stay locally now they will have no choice but to leave their jobs and stay with family 4 hours away temporarily. This would mean losing their income right when they need it most.

Once mold removal begins (which could take weeks if not months), they’ll still have a long road ahead:

• All carpet must be removed

• Flooring replaced

• Drywall torn out in all affected areas

• And if mold is found throughout the entire attic, the entire roof may need to be removed and replaced.

They could be out of their home for several months. To make things worse, their insurance will not cover any of the damage because their policy doesn’t include moisture or mold coverage.

This situation has placed a heartbreaking emotional and financial burden on their family. This GoFundMe is to help them manage temporary housing, storage, remediation, repair costs, vehicle repairs, and any additional expenses during this difficult time.

Any donation — no matter the amount — truly helps. If you’re unable to donate, please share their story to help us reach more people & include my sister & her family in your prayers.