Hi everyone,

I'm writing this with a heavy heart on behalf of my mom and our family.

Her father — my grandfather — has been in the hospital for over a week now, and things have taken a heartbreaking turn.

He’s fighting a severe blood infection, and doctors have found an abscess on his spinal cord. He’s too sick to undergo surgery, and his condition has continued to decline. His heart is no longer beating on its own — he’s fully dependent on machines, and he has officially been placed on hospice care. We’ve been told it’s only a matter of time before we have to say goodbye.

Although he wasn’t always a big part of our lives, the last few years gave us a chance to reconnect. That time has meant everything to us — we’ve shared laughs, made new memories, and started healing old wounds. Losing him now is incredibly painful.

My mom has been by his side every step of the way. She’s used up all of her paid time off from work just to be there with him every day, making sure he’s cared for and not alone. Now, on top of everything, we’re facing financial stress that we’re not prepared for.

We’re trying to honor his and our family’s wishes in these final days. Instead of a traditional funeral, we’ll be holding a celebration of life — something simple and meaningful.

His mother, who is still living, has asked to have his ashes brought home to her in Pennsylvania so she can keep him close.

We’ve created this GoFundMe to help cover:

Cremation expenses

Transportation of his ashes to Pennsylvania

A small celebration of life gathering

Lost income from the time my mom has had to take off work

If you’re able to donate or even just share this page, it would mean the world to us. Every bit of support helps and is deeply appreciated.

Thank you for keeping our family in your thoughts and prayers during this incredibly difficult time.

With love and gratitude,

Cici and family