My name is Alisha Gerholdt, and I never imagined I would be asking for help like this.

For my entire life, I have fought through medical challenges. I have been a cardiac patient since I was a toddler and have undergone multiple heart surgeries throughout my life. My condition never stopped me from working hard, building a life, or being the mother my son deserved.

I always pushed myself to live life like everyone else.

After my most recent open-heart surgery, where my aortic arch was replaced, my health began changing in ways I never expected. Over time, I developed severe carotid artery stenosis that progressed to a complete carotid artery occlusion. Because of this condition, I now face ongoing symptoms including TIAs, extreme fatigue, dizziness, heat sensitivity, cognitive difficulties, and other limitations that have made it impossible for me to continue working.

The hardest part has not only been losing my ability to work—it has been losing the life I worked so hard to build.

Over the past year, I have lost my home, my belongings, my financial stability, and the independence I fought so hard to maintain.

The most painful loss has been being separated from my son.

Because my health declined and I could no longer provide the stable life he deserved, I made the heartbreaking decision to send him to live with his father in Texas. It was one of the hardest choices I have ever made, but it was made out of love. A mother’s greatest wish is to protect her child, even when it breaks her own heart.

Our pets have also been separated from us. Due to my grandmother’s severe allergies, I was unable to keep them with me when I came to stay with her. After 14 years with my oldest cat and years of having my younger cat as my constant companion, being separated from them has been incredibly painful.

They were not just pets. They were family.

Every day since we have been apart, I have searched for a way to bring us back together.

Through all of this, I have learned something I never expected: God was with me even in the hardest moments.

When I lost so much of what I thought defined me, I found a deeper faith and a renewed purpose. My faith has helped me keep going when I felt exhausted, scared, and uncertain about the future.

That is why I created Recycle to Reunite.

My goal is to raise funds to purchase a reliable used motorhome with basic living necessities. This would provide me with safe, stable housing while allowing me to live within the limitations of my disability and move closer to my son in Texas.

This motorhome would mean:

• A safe place to call home

• Greater independence while managing my disability

• The ability to be closer to my son

• The possibility of rebuilding our family life together

• A stable environment where I can continue moving forward

I am also creating a community recycling effort where people can donate California CRV cans and bottles. Instead of asking only for financial help, I want to give people a way to participate through something simple that many people already have in their homes.

Every can collected, every bottle donated, every dollar contributed, and every person who shares this story helps bring me one step closer to home.

I am not asking for someone to fix my life. I am asking for an opportunity to rebuild it.

If you are able to donate, share this fundraiser, save recyclables, or simply offer prayers and encouragement, I am deeply grateful.

Thank you for taking the time to hear my story and for helping me believe that even after losing so much, a new chapter is still possible.

With gratitude and hope,

Alisha