Hello, my name is Talonna, and I’m raising funds to help my family stay close to my Aunt Betty and Aunt Shirley during an incredibly difficult time.

Our family is asking for support as we navigate one of the hardest moments we’ve ever faced.

On April 3rd, my Aunt Betty was life-flighted from Orleans to Mercy Hospital in Redding due to a severe COPD episode and sepsis caused by pneumonia. This all happened just one day after my mom was released from the ICU following complications from her own procedure. It has been one thing after another.

Since being hospitalized, Aunt Betty has had some ups and downs. At one point, doctors believed she may have had a stroke, but recent scans have ruled that out. As of now, she is doing better, but she remains in the ICU. She is awake and conscious, but she is scared and does not want to be alone.

Then on April 19th, while visiting Aunt Betty in the hospital, my Aunt Shirley fell in her room and suffered severe breaks to both her femur and humerus—her leg near the hip and her arm near the shoulder. She now also requires surgery, care, and support during her recovery.

They are both currently at Mercy Hospital, but not in the same room or even on the same floor. They are in different care units, and both of them are lonely and don’t want to be alone.

Our family has been doing everything we can to be there for them. We’ve been rotating shifts so someone is always with each of them—my mom Bessie, her son Rick, his partner Cid, and myself. Being there for them isn’t optional. They need us, and we are showing up however we can.

Before all of this, Aunt Betty had just moved to Orleans and had finally gotten the keys to her place. We were already stretched thin financially helping her get settled when this emergency happened.

Now, we are asking for help so we can stay nearby in Redding. We are hoping to secure an Airbnb or a hotel with a weekly rate so our family has a place to rest while continuing to be present at the hospital. This will allow us to rotate more effectively and make sure neither of them has to be alone for long.

We have already exhausted our funds. The hospital social worker has been able to provide two cafeteria vouchers a day, but there is no additional funding available for lodging.

There is still no clear plan for Aunt Betty’s recovery, and now we are also navigating Aunt Shirley’s surgeries and healing. Right now, we are taking things day by day and focusing on being there for both of them.

If you are able to donate, share this fundraiser, or keep our family in your thoughts and prayers, it truly means everything to us. Your support is helping us stay by their side when they need it most.

Thank you so much for your love and support