Hi everyone, my name is Justine, and I’m fundraising for my Uncle Sergio and my Aunt Patty, my godparents. Unfortunately, our family is experiencing a family crisis. My Uncle Sergio's wife and life partner, Patty (my Godparents), is in her last stages of life with one of the worst diseases anyone can have, ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease).

Sergio and Patty’s love story began on December 8, 1988, at Eagle Rock Plaza, on Patty’s birthday. Patty was working at Miller’s Outpost, and Sergio was an assistant manager at Kenny Shoes. Their relationship grew into a life together, and they were married in September 1993. They spent most of their marriage building a life here in Southern California, creating memories through simple joy from shopping trips, movie nights, and just being together.

In 1999, Patty had to stop working after a work-related injury that affected her back and knees. Even then, they continued to push forward as a team. When COVID-19 hit, Sergio lost his account in Riverside, California, and his company offered him an opportunity in North Carolina. They made the difficult decision to relocate on August 3, 2020, hoping for stability. During that time, Patty briefly returned to California, and she and her family contracted COVID-19. Tragically, she lost her mother and older brother. Patty and her older sister survived, but their lives were changed forever.

After returning to North Carolina, Patty began having trouble walking. Within months, she lost the ability to walk entirely. In December 2023, doctors suspected Patty of having a musculoskeletal or neurological disorder, and by February 2024, Patty was diagnosed with ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease). From that point on, her health has declined rapidly. In January 2026, she lost her ability to communicate. My Nino Sergio has been by her side through all of it, loving her, caring for her, and doing everything he can as he watches the person he loves slip further away to this horrific disease. They celebrated 36 years of marriage together in September 2025, a testament to the life and love they built.

Now our family needs help. Patty is now in hospice, and we are trying to support and prepare for the heartbreaking reality of the funeral and final expenses. We’re asking for support so my uncle doesn’t have to carry this emotional and financial weight alone, and so Patty can be cared for with comfort, dignity, and peace.

How donations will help

Funds raised will go toward:

A note from our family

If you can donate, thank you. If you can’t, we completely understand. Please consider sharing this fundraiser. Every share, prayer, and kind word matters more than we can express. From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for supporting Sergio and Patty.

With love, The Urena Family