Hi, my name is Anna Kate, and I’m standing in the gap for my precious sister, Ashlyn.

If you know Ashlyn, you know that quiet strength and fierce independence are at the core of who she is. She is determined, strong-willed, and brave; often stubborn because she knows exactly who she is and what she is capable of. She is a devoted wife to her husband, John Nathan, of six years, and the proud mama of three precious babies: Everett (4) and twin girls, Kate and Collins (6 months).

Ashlyn’s symptoms began during an already incredibly vulnerable season. She was just four months postpartum, still healing and navigating the newness that comes with life as a new mom of three — after recently bringing her twin girls home to join their big brother following a 41-day NICU stay. She had barely begun to settle into life at home when her own health started to unravel.

Over a very short period of time, Ashlyn’s health declined rapidly. What began as sudden vision loss quickly grew into a larger, ongoing battle. After visiting multiple specialists, enduring several hospital stays that lasted weeks at a time, undergoing endless blood work, scans, rounds of plasma exchange, and steroids, she was eventually diagnosed with a very rare and aggressive form of Multiple Sclerosis called Tumefactive Multiple Sclerosis. This form of MS causes lesions that mimic brain tumors, which is why it is so difficult to diagnose and treat. Because of this condition, Ashlyn is now also experiencing seizures and lasting stroke like symptoms.

Her seizures don’t look like what most people expect. They show up as numbness on one side of her body, intense headaches, tingling, zoning out, and a frightening sensation of feeling disconnected. These episodes can last anywhere from a few minutes, several hours, or even days on end. Combined with her vision loss, they affect her ability to drive, work, and care for her babies without assistance, adding another layer of fear and uncertainty to each day.

It has been a truly terrifying season; physically, mentally, and emotionally. Ashlyn’s body is exhausted from both the disease and the aggressive treatments meant to fight it. The kind of exhaustion she’s experiencing is hard to put into words. Even thinking about getting up to do simple things can feel overwhelming. And as a mama, that is especially painful because she wants so badly to be able to care for and love on her babies.

Cognitively, she is still struggling. Her brain often feels disconnected. Multitasking is nearly impossible. Conversations can be hard to keep up with. Her memory isn’t what it once was. We’re told this is common with her condition and that it can improve. That is one of our deepest prayers.

Despite everything, Ashlyn continues to face each day with grace, courage, and resilience. But the reality is undeniable: the physical, emotional, and financial weight of this season is immense. Medical expenses, ongoing care needs, support for her children and the loved ones caring for them, and everyday living costs have piled up faster than we ever imagined.

We are asking for help, not because Ashlyn lacks strength, but because this journey is not meant to be walked alone. Our hope is that she can focus on what matters most right now: healing, rest, comfort, and time with her family. Funds raised will go directly toward medical-related expenses, in-home support and care, adaptive equipment as needed, and essential daily needs as she navigates this incredibly difficult chapter.

Through all of this, Ashlyn is holding tightly to her faith. She believes God has her. She believes He is not finished with her story, and that even in this painful season, nothing is wasted. That hope is what she’s clinging to.

This year has taught us something both heartbreaking and holy: two things can be true at the same time. Immense joy and overwhelming grief can coexist. In the middle of these competing emotions, we are pressing into our faith and clinging to it, praising Jesus, and trusting Him even when the road feels impossibly heavy.

Please pray with us. For the treatments to work, for the inflammation to go down, for the seizures to stop, and for Ashlyn to begin feeling like herself again. ❤️

If you feel led to donate, share, or lift our family up in prayer, please know it means more than words can express. Your support is a reminder that love still shows up, even in the hardest seasons.

With love and deepest gratitude,

Anna Kate & Family