Description
Early on Saturday morning, June 6, our family's life changed in a matter of minutes. Three armed men broke into my father's home in Chandler while he slept and attacked my dad and my sister, Chelsey. Both of them survived. Both of them now face a difficult recovery. I'm asking for help for my sister’s out-of-pocket expenses as she heals from this horrific event.
Who I am
My name is Melissa. I'm Chelsey's sister and Joe's daughter. I'm organizing this fundraiser for our family, and every dollar raised will go directly to Chelsey's care and recovery.
What happened
Around 6 a.m., three intruders forced their way through the backdoor, stole my dad’s car, and in the process, fractured my 84 year old father’s skull, and shot my developmentally disabled, 95-pound sister in the arms.
Both my father and Chelsey were rushed to the hospital. Thankfully, both are expected to survive. Chelsey is recovering from a broken arm and gunshot wounds as well as the emotional trauma. Our Dad is recovering from his head injury.
This attack has been covered by local news. For anyone who wants to verify what happened, here are a few of the reports:
FOX 10 Phoenix: https://www.fox10phoenix.com/news/horrific-chandler-home-invasion-leaves-elderly-man-broken-skull-disabled-daughter-shot
ABC15: https://www.abc15.com/news/region-southeast-valley/chandler/multiple-arrested-after-chandler-home-invasion-leaves-two-hurt
12News: https://www.12news.com/article/news/local/arizona/two-suspects-taken-into-custody-at-border-following-violent-home-invasion-of-elderly-man-daughter-chandler-arizona/75-eeb84b29-2562-4230-bf44-96d49581ebc1
The Arizona Republic: https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/chandler-breaking/2026/06/08/jesus-s-nunez-among-those-arrested-chandler-home-invasion/90460937007/
Chelsey is 38 and very child-like. She is loving, funny, and enjoys being around people. She loves spaghetti, singing, dancing, Nintendo, Spongebob, and 90’s Nickelodeon shows. She also loves a good knock-knock joke.
Here's what weighs on us most. Chelsey is disabled and needs care every day. Our mother tragically passed away when Chelsey was 12, and that left our dad as Chelsey's main caregiver. In a single morning, the person who needs care and the person who provides it were both badly hurt.
What your help covers
We are incurring many out of pocket costs because of this senseless act of violence. One of the main things we need help with is to pay for caregivers to assist Chelsey during the day while she recovers and regains the use of her arms. As well as any other out of pocket medical and emotional care she will need.
We want to express our sincere gratitude for the Chandler Police Department who worked around the clock to make sure the men who did this were caught. They have done an amazing job. They had over 100 people working non-stop to catch the men responsible. We also want to thank our friends and neighbors who have stepped up in the most compassionate ways. We are overwhelmed by the love that has been shown to our family by both those that know us personally and the community as a whole.
Thank you for taking the time to read this. We will keep this page updated as Chelsey and our family heals from this traumatic event.
What your help covers
We're still getting a full picture of the costs, but recovery for Chelsey and our dad will include:
Surgery and follow-up medical care for Chelsey's shattered elbow and gunshot wounds
- Daily in-home care for Chelsey while she recovers, and to bridge the gap until state services are in place
- Physical and occupational therapy to help Chelsey regain the use of her arms
- Care and follow-up treatment for our dad's skull fracture and head trauma
- Trauma counseling and emotional therapy for Chelsey, our dad, and our family
- Medications, medical equipment, and transportation to the many appointments ahead
- A small cushion for the unexpected costs that come with something like this