Support Maddie and Matt Building a New Life

In fall 2024, after years of careful deliberation, Matt and I made the incredibly difficult decision to leave America and move to Europe in March 2026. Over the nearly seven years we've been together, life in the U.S. has become increasingly untenable due to the relentless barriers Matt faces because of his immigration status. We've been unable to grow as a couple or build a better future simply because he's been denied opportunities by a system that is, frankly, cruel and dehumanizing.

Despite nearly five years of marriage, the path to a green card for Matt would require life-altering sacrifices, many that would endanger our safety and well-being. Unfortunately, the immigration system in the U.S. is much, much more complex, obstructive, and astronomically expensive than most realize. The 2024 election was the final blow, confirming our fear that things would only get worse. We were done waiting for the chance to start our lives. So, we made the only choice that offered a future: we have to leave America.

After considering several countries, we ultimately chose Poland—Matt’s native country—because of his citizenship, his fluency in the language, and the significantly easier immigration path it provides for me through our marriage. This was not a decision we made lightly, but it is one we knew we had to make for our happiness and survival. Though it's heartbreaking to leave, we’re also deeply hopeful and excited to begin this next chapter.

Planning for the move has been exciting, but not without challenges. It’s become painfully clear that we may need to accelerate our timeline for our own safety following the terrifying rhetoric and actions of this administration towards immigrants in recent weeks. The urgency to leave is no longer hypothetical—it’s real, and it’s growing.

We’ve fast-tracked our preparations for this move so that we are ready to leave at a moment’s notice if needed. Both of us are working as much as humanly possible, saving every dollar we can, and selling anything that isn’t essential to survive right now. Aside from the few belongings we plan to take with us, most of our cherished possessions are already gone.

And still—it might not be enough.

The speed and severity with which this administration is acting has made one thing painfully clear: we may not have the luxury of waiting until March 2026 to move. That’s why this GoFundMe exists. We don’t have a specific dollar amount in mind—this isn’t about hitting a goal, it’s about staying ahead of a rapidly closing window. Every contribution helps us prepare for the very real possibility that we may have to leave far sooner than expected.

If you’re able to help, we need you now more than ever.

Through all of the fear and uncertainty, though, we are holding onto hope. We’ve daydreamed for years about building a life together in Europe—one where we are free from what has too often felt like a prison cell. For Matt especially, who has spent most of his life feeling like a bird in a cage, this move represents a kind of liberation we weren’t sure we’d ever see. But now, it’s finally becoming real. While we’re heartbroken to leave behind the only home we’ve ever known, we are also brimming with hope and joy for the future. A better life is out there—waiting for us in Matt’s home country of Poland. And for the first time, we truly believe it’s within reach.