Support Retired Special Ed Teachers Denise & Tom Following Severe Yard Incident

A Plea for Help from Denise’s Daughters

Our family is facing an absolute nightmare. We are reaching out with heavy hearts to ask for urgent help for our parents, Denise and Tom. Both are retired special education teachers who dedicated their entire careers to serving children with special needs. Today, they are facing a compounding health and financial crisis that they simply cannot navigate alone. We are asking our community to rally around them during this dark time. Below is our mom's account of what happened.

Our Mom's Story

"On Friday, September 18, 2026, my life changed in an instant. I had only been outside for a couple of minutes working in my flower bed in my side yard when a Pit Bull suddenly jumped my fence, knocked me to the ground, and viciously attacked me. Because I have impaired vision, I had zero advance warning of the danger; I never saw it coming and only became aware of the animal's presence at the moment of physical impact, leaving me fighting for my life from the ground.

My husband, Tom, was asleep at the time when my screams woke him up. We are both 74 years old and physically disabled. Because of Tom's hip replacement and leg reconstruction, he could not rush, but he desperately tried to make his way to help me. By the grace of God, and in the absolute nick of time, a neighbor from across the street heard my screams, ran into our yard, and courageously fought to pull the dog off of me.

If our neighbor hadn't intervened exactly when he did, I would have quickly become fatigued and unable to attempt further defense. With Tom physically unable to ward off the attack, our neighbor truly saved my life."

The Medical Aftermath

Our mom is currently undergoing extensive medical evaluation and treatment for multiple dog wounds, some severe across her arms, shoulders, neck, ear, and torso. As severe swelling slowly decreases, medical teams continue to identify and evaluate newly uncovered injuries. Her recovery process is incredibly difficult; the deep wounds on her upper arms swell and require constant management. She is dealing with intense pain and trauma from these injuries, while medical teams also monitor and treat a suspected fracture in her ankle that limits her ability to move safely.

A Household Completely Upended

This incident has completely paralyzed our parents' household. Our mom is the sole income earner, and our dad, Tom, is managing significant physical limitations due to his hip replacement and leg reconstruction. The sheer trauma and stress of witnessing this attack caused Tom's autoimmune system to violently flare up, leaving him in pain and incredibly weak. They are both dealing with severe physical limitations and are currently unable to care for one another in their normal fashion.

The Financial Burden

This sudden loss of income has created an immediate crisis. Our mom's income was what allowed them to make ends meet. Now, with her regular paychecks halted, they are left with no way to cover their critical monthly expenses.

To make matters worse, they have been trapped in a brutal heatwave, driving up essential utility costs even as they strictly conserve energy. On top of their normal household expenses, they are now facing heavy, newly incurred costs directly resulting from this event. While our family is exploring long-term assistance options, those structural processes take months or years. Their immediate household stability depends on bridging this financial gap right now.

How You Can Help

Denise and Tom spent their lives dedicated to serving our community's most vulnerable, now they desperately need help.

We are asking for assistance from family, friends, church family, coworkers, and anyone who feels led to contribute. Any amount, no matter how small, will directly help us maintain their household stability, buy groceries, and cover unexpected medical and living costs while they heal.

Most of all, we ask for your prayers for their complete healing, strength, and peace. We are so grateful for the kindness, concern, and support you have already shown our family.

Thank you from the bottom of our hearts. God bless each of you.