Hi, my name is Halle. My dad just passed away. People ask every day how I’m doing, and I don’t know what to say. I didn’t get the chance to say goodbye. I didn’t have his financial affairs in order or his funeral arrangements planned. I didn’t think to double check that I knew what to do or how to do it. I think I thought I had more time.

Instead, I have future dates still on the calendar to visit this summer. I have notifications on my phone, reminders to book him for a haircut and remind him about his exercises. He died suddenly just before Christmas after going into cardiac arrest following a shower. This was not in my plans.

His death was unexpected, and with that came a lot of responsibility all at once. There was no time to plan, no time to put things in order, and no time to have the conversations we thought we still had ahead of us. I believed there would be more time. More time to work on our relationship, more time for him to be around, and even a possible move back to Phoenix. More time for the simple things we shared, like the Michigan weather and how my day at school was and meeting his new granddaughter.

Death is an empty feeling. Like, I'll never get to see my dad again. I'll never hear his laugh again or see his smile or get one more phone call. His absence is felt in quiet moments and in the ordinary parts of life where he used to be present.

Creating this GoFundMe is not something that comes naturally to me, but this season has asked for more than I was prepared for. The funds raised will go toward my dad’s memorial and service, helping us honor his life while navigating everything that followed his passing. The financial responsibilities that followed his passing arrived quickly, on top of everything else that comes with loss.

If you've made it this far, thank you. Thank you for reading, for caring, and for keeping our family in your thoughts and prayers. Any support, whether through donating, sharing, or simply holding us in your hearts, means more than I can say.

Halle <3