I am fundraising on behalf of Halliday, an amazing 19-year-old young woman who urgently needs support after an unimaginable loss.

On August 6, 2025, Halliday's mother, Jocelyn, passed away unexpectedly. Jocelyn was her only family. She adopted Halliday from Jiangxi, China when she was just 11 months old and raised her as a single mother with endless love and devotion. From their first day together in 2007 to their last in 2025, it was always just the two of them.

Jocelyn dedicated over 25 years to teaching. She taught English in Japan, worked as a kindergarten teacher, and later taught ESL at Lord Dufferin P.S. in Regent Park. Beyond teaching, she loved to travel and took Halliday on countless adventures, filling her childhood with learning and joy.

Despite losing her mom during her final semester, Halliday persevered and graduated from her Pre-Service Firefighting program in August. As the only Asian woman and one of just 14 women in a class of nearly 100, she pushed forward to help create representation for young girls of colour.

Halliday received the call that her mom had passed while finishing her studies. In the weeks that followed, she balanced final exams, caring for their two cats and dog, and learning to manage their home. Today, months later, she is navigating grief, housing costs, her part-time job, and daily responsibilities entirely on her own.

This follows years of quiet resilience. Jocelyn was diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer in 2017, when Halliday was just 10 years old. Even then, Jocelyn did everything she could to protect her daughter Halliday who slowly took on more responsibility than any child should have to.

Now in 2025, having just turned 19 shortly after her mom's passing, Halliday is navigating adulthood without a parent or immediate family support.

All donations will go directly to Halliday to help with housing, essential bills, food, transportation, pet care, and grief support, giving her stability as she continues her path toward becoming a firefighter.

Halliday has dedicated herself to saving others. Now, she needs a community to stand with her.

Thank you for your compassion and support.