Rashawn Izell Gooden Sr's journey home on Christmas Day

Hello, my name is Bridget. I am the former wife and the mother of Rashawn Sr.'s beautiful children. I come to you with a broken heart of my own and carrying the weight of the broken hearts of our children. Our children have lost their father to heart failure at the young sweet age of 49 years old. Rashawn Izell Gooden Sr. died of cardiac arrest early Christmas morning, 7:11 am. Those that knew him would tell you that he was an amazing soul, very smart, down to earth, and LOVED his family and children with everything in him.

I will be very honest here, today. We desperately need some help in having a simple cremation service to lay Rashawn to rest. Rashawn was not insured due to the level and severity of his medical conditions. Every insurance company we've contacted in the past has denied him life insurance. We thought we still had time. We didn't realize that a "LIFETIME" is actually the shortest time in the world, especially for those you love the most. Honestly, we were not prepared for things to end like this, so very soon, so rapid.

We need to get Rashawn home as soon as possible so he can have eternal rest in the land of peace and his tired soul can be free. During his journey of battling heart failure, his wishes were to be brought home to Chicago, cremated, and his ashes placed with our son in Restvale Cemetery, whom we lost to a tragic death in 2016.

I know times are hard for us all.

I also know that this should not have to be done this way. But the fact of the matter is, we have no choice at this time. Time is ticking, his body is still suffering, and the hearts of the ones he loved and the hearts of the ones who loved him cannot start to heal. We do not have the financial funds to put him to rest. If you can be so very kind to donate -any amount will surely help get Rashawn Sr home to be with his son and live in eternal life.

Thank you for all you can do. God bless!