My immediate family and Aunt cannot see this post. She doesn’t know I’m setting this up, simply because I don’t want to risk disappointing her if it doesn’t work out. I’m trying this out of love, hoping that even a little support can bring her relief.

As many of you know, my Uncle Bill passed away on May 3rd, 2023 just one month of his 65th birthday. He spent over 60 years in the same home here in Elyria, building memories, raising generations, and living a life surrounded by family. He wasn’t perfect, but he was truly one of the best men I have ever known.

Since losing him, life has become incredibly hard for my Auntie Lisa. She has been working double just to make ends meet, barely scraping by. For as long as I’ve been alive, my aunt and uncle have been the literal backbone of our entire family. They have always been the ones to show up, no matter how heavy the situation was or how much it cost them emotionally, physically, or financially.

Their home has never been “just a house.” It’s been our home—one that has welcomed generations of our family, and even people who weren’t blood but became family because my aunt and uncle opened their doors with love. Preserving that home means preserving decades of memories, comfort, and belonging.

My aunt and uncle are the mother and father who didn’t birth me, and I love her and my uncle with every part of my heart.

What hurts the most is that after losing her him she never got a chance to grieve. She was immediately hit with financial responsibilities and overwhelming burdens that no one should have to shoulder alone. It feels like when he passed, people slowly stopped checking on her, as if she disappeared from their memories becoming a background in their lives.

I’m reaching out because she won’t ask for help herself, but she truly needs it. Even helping her get one month ahead on her mortgage would give her a moment to breathe, a moment to feel relief instead of constant stress. I don’t know how much time any of us have left with her, and I refuse to let the time she does have be filled with struggle and sadness. I just want her to smile again..even if just for a moment.

This is the holiday season, and I know times are hard for everyone. But even $5 makes a difference. I’m hoping this reaches enough hearts to give my aunt the support she deserves, after she has spent a lifetime supporting everyone else.

Thank you for taking the time to read this, and thank you for anything you’re able to give.