My parents were married for 52 years.

Not perfect. Not easy. But real, lasting, and built over a lifetime.

A few days ago, my father died at home, with his family by his side.

There’s no clean way to explain what that feels like. I watched it happen. I said goodbye. And now the house feels different in a way I don’t know how to fix.

He wasn’t always an easy man, but in his final years, he changed. He softened. He carried regret, and he tried in the ways he knew how. What I’ll hold onto is who he became—gentle, present, and finally at peace with himself.

Every night, we said the same thing before bed:

“I love you.”

“Forever.”

“Forever more.”

Now there’s just silence where that used to be.

This loss doesn’t exist on its own. We lost my sister suddenly in 2015, and it broke something in him that never fully healed. Now he’s gone too, and it feels like another piece of our family has been pulled away.

It’s just my mom, me, and Brenden now—trying to find our footing in a world that feels quieter and heavier all at once.

We both have had to deal with the lasting effects of our cancer treatments, and the weight of this moment is more than we can carry on our own.

Right now, our home holds a lifetime of memories, and the thought of sorting through my dad’s belongings is overwhelming—especially for my mom.

My goal is to raise enough to have our home professionally cleaned and to work with a company that can help me sort through everything—preserving what matters and letting go of what can’t be kept. I plan to do this while she is away visiting her sister out west, so she doesn’t have to experience that loss piece by piece.

I also hope to take care of a few essential needs so when she returns, she can come back to a space that feels lighter, calmer, and more livable.

The funds raised will help us make ends meet over the next few months while my father’s trust moves through the court system.

If you’re able to help, or even just share this, it truly means more than I can put into words right now.

We’re just trying to get through this.

Forever. And forever more.