My grandmother, Carla Zepeda, was recently killed in a tragic accident involving a high-speed chase in California. A drunk driver crashed into the room where she was sleeping while pet-sitting for her friends. Due to the severity of the crash, it has been difficult to identify her. We wanted to wait for further information, but events are moving very quickly.

She was a pillar of our family who will never be forgotten. She cared for so many people and dedicated nearly twenty-five years of her life working for the county, building strong relationships within her community and with many families.

The current events have been difficult to comprehend, and we are doing our best to process this loss. Our family is very close. I’ve lived with my grandma for several years. My mother and my grandmother’s sister have lived with her for over ten years. She helped care for them, as they are often unable to do so themselves.

Sadly, we cannot afford to pay off our family home, and it will have to be sold to cover her outstanding debts. I don’t know how much time we have. In California, it is extremely expensive to relocate, so I have opened this fundraiser to help us do so and to stabilize our family until we can get back on our feet.

This will be especially challenging, as I am the only one in the household currently able to work. I am employed full time caring for special needs children while also trying to keep our family together—because that’s what my grandmother would have wanted. My mother is unable to walk or care for herself on a daily basis and has been homebound for over a decade. My grandmother’s elderly sister has also just been diagnosed with a severe lung disease, making even simple activities difficult. Both need daily assistance while I continue to work.

I dislike having to ask for help, but it feels like our only option at this point. Relocating on a single income in California is nearly impossible. Any support would be deeply appreciated in ways I can’t fully express.