Joshua is an autistic young man who has excelled in racing since his early teens. Racing is what he connected with, and he has worked his way up to wingless sprints. His father, despite being on disability, has always supported Joshua’s passion and activities.

Recently, tragedy struck Joshua’s family. In February, I accompanied Joshua and his brothers, Jacob and Jordan, to UC Davis as their mother, Renee, was being removed from life support after cancer spread to her brain. Renee fought bravely, but she passed away at home on the 20th. Just a week later, while making final arrangements at Evergreen Memorial of Sacramento with his grandmother, Joshua was handed papers to sign. Trusting his grandmother, he signed them—unaware that he was accepting full responsibility for his mother’s funeral expenses.

Joshua, being autistic, faces challenges in finding and keeping jobs, and his work is usually minimum wage. He lives with his father, who is already financially stressed and was turned down for a loan to help with these costs. Now, Joshua is left with a burden he cannot manage alone. Any support would be a blessing in helping Joshua pay for his mother’s final expenses. Without help, he will struggle and sacrifice necessities to try to pay this debt. Your kindness can help ease this difficult time for Joshua and his family.