A Village for Senai Shiferaw & Angie Perez

To know a man like Senai Shiferaw, is to know unconditional love. And to call him a brother, a son, a father, a friend, or a soulmate is to know a privilege and blessing like no other.

In the early morning of Wednesday, May 28th, Senai took his final breaths. And in doing so, he took with him a piece of all of our hearts.

His passing was sudden, unexpected and devastating. And the absence of the space that he held, the light that he was, and the infectious playfulness that he exuded is felt immensely.

If you knew Senai personally, you know that his greatest pride and joy will forever and eternally be his family. His young boys, Parker and Elijah. His one year old daughter, Sloane. And the love of his life, Angie.

Yesterday, I sat at Angie’s feet and heard her share words about just the kind of man and father Senai was. About how he was unwaveringly devoted to caring for and providing for his family. About how it never took a second thought for him to wholeheartedly show up for any of us who called on him. About how if we all were even half of what Senai was, what a world this truly would be.

To know this heartbreak is unfathomable to many of us, and to navigate the many layers of grief, of heartache, of financial burden, all while tending to and caring for our littlest of ones in this time of such loss and uncertainty is beyond comprehension.

And so, it is in their time of need, with my deepest sincerity and my utmost love for the Shiferaws, that I call on this village— Senai’s and Angie’s village, to come together and hold this family while they move through and heal from all that it is to lose their rock and pillar of strength.

As the boys will need their mother as they wrap their minds around this profound loss of their dad, as they will require grief support and counselling as a family, and as our littlest, Sloane, requires her mother’s care, nurturance and strength as little ones do—

I ask that we hold and uplift Angie through the very real challenges of funeral costs, rising bills, and the expenses that come from raising 3 beautiful little kids as a now single mother, and as she takes leave from work to care for her young family.

Any contribution, any offering of your support and your love, would mean the world.

In gratitude and with blessings.