Hello everyone. Many of you know Tatiana and the many names that she answers to; Tati, Taco, Mommy, sister, daughter, friend. This leads me to the reason for the GoFundMe.

In December of 2021, a few days before Christmas, we received the news that Tati had stage 4 cancer—Merkel Cell Carcinoma—that was rare and aggressive. She was initially given 2.5-5 years to live based on the relatively early findings; doctors assured us that she would live longer due to her age and overall health. However, we are now 2.5 years into the battle and the end is nearing much sooner than we originally believed. Our parents have been raising her son since her diagnosis and have been providing financial, emotional, and physical support for both Tati and her son, Greyson. Greyson is only 7 years old and facing the loss of his mom in the very near future.

Unfortunately, due to the impacts of the disease, Tati has not been able to work for years. Months were spent with my parents transporting Tati to Pittsburgh for treatments, taking time off work to provide care and transportation to hospitals and frequent treatments, and providing emotional support. They have been able to maintain their support for her, while also battling caregiver burnout and emotional distress from the experience of slowly losing their daughter to a terminal illness—while also raising a 7-year-old in a loving and supportive home. The insurance policies will cover the basics of her burial and debts but will not be enough to provide Greyson with a secure future, especially with the financial climate the way that it is. Our parents have used as much of their available funds as possible to provide their support, but they did not expect to have to budget and plan for their grandson’s future, as this is such a foreign and unexpected experience and impending loss.

We are currently asking for donations that we could put into a college/future fund for Grey to have access to when he enters adulthood. We strongly believe that he will be facing enough barriers in his life due to the loss of his mother and would love to be able to help support his growth and access to future opportunities in the best way possible. When asked what he wants to do when he’s older, he talks about being a scientist and working with experiments; something that we all know will take years of education. I know that plans change as we age and experience more life; however, the therapist in me knows that providing him the opportunity to achieve that childhood dream will mean a lot to Grey as he grows older. We don’t know what the future holds for him and what God’s will and plan is; however, we want to help in the process to ensure that he has access to what he may need or strive for.

As adults, we know we will likely witness our parents leaving this life to have eternal peace with Jesus; however, we don’t think about that happening when we are only 7 years old.

Please consider donating to Greyson’s future. He has been the light during our darkest time as a family and has been our reason for continuing to fight for years now. He deserves to feel supported and loved in any way possible, especially with what he is facing so soon.

We thank you all for your love, support, and care throughout this process. Any donation will be appreciated and beneficial toward his future and success.