Support Alicia's Kids After Tragic Loss

On May 12th in the early morning, my sister Alicia Orlando, age 35, collapsed. She went into respiratory arrest and never woke up. She was declared brain dead on the morning of the 13th and ultimately became an organ donor, giving many people a second chance at life. Alicia was a daughter, a sister, a friend, but most importantly, a mother, “mom”, and a grandma, “mema.” She was the biological mom of three kids: Caleb, who’s 18 and a new dad; Peyton, who’s 17 and starting her senior year; and Dominic, who is 13 and is going into 8th grade. In addition, she took in any kid who needed a place to stay. She became a mom to Chubby, age 18, and Isaac, age 13. To say that her loss has left us shocked and devastated is an understatement. We were lucky enough to have support in paying for her burial and headstone, but she didn’t have any life insurance, so it’s become clear that supporting five kids and everything else life has recently thrown at them is unsustainable. Just like any mom, Alicia was the go-to person for her kids. Now that she’s gone, we’re struggling to help them. Most recently they’ve been dealing with a car blowing up and even a minor motorcycle accident. Caleb and Chubby both missed work after Alicia passed, so they were only paid for a portion of their lost workdays. I’ve had so many people ask me to start a GoFundMe to show support, and I think it’s time. I’d love to raise enough to fix all the problems the kids are facing. It would also be great to give them some breathing room and to start planning how we’re going to get them the school supplies and clothes they need. All the money raised will be given to my mother, Jennifer Orlando, who is living with four of the five kids. She will use the money to exclusively support all the kids for the foreseeable future. We appreciate any support you can give and if you are unable to donate a share will help just as much.

Article written by WTRF about Alicia's last gift of organ donation. Alicia Orlando Organ Donor