If you’ve spent any time in St. Joseph, MN, there’s a good chance Makayla Mooney has made your day a little brighter. At just 27, Makayla is one of those rare people who seem to light up every room she walks into. She’s loving, selfless, endlessly fun, and so full of life. She and her husband, Andrew, are recently married and building the kind of life most of us dream about: a home, a family, and a community they pour their hearts into.

That’s why it’s so hard to share that they are now facing an unimaginable medical crisis.

Makayla is 19 weeks pregnant. This isn’t how she and Andrew ever would have chosen to share their happy news, but we want them to know they are not alone. Last week, Makayla was diagnosed with a blood clot in a vein around her brain, and scans also found an abnormal blood vessel formation inside her brain. She was admitted to the hospital for 5 days and, upon discharge, felt hopeful the second half of her pregnancy would be smoother. Unfortunately, the day after she was released from the hospital, the abnormal blood vessels ruptured, causing a hemorrhagic stroke that required multiple emergency brain surgeries. She is now in the ICU in a medically induced coma. The road ahead for both mom and baby is uncertain, with more surgeries and extensive care still to come.

For those of us who know Makayla, this news has broken our hearts. To so many families, she is far more than a daycare provider. She has loved our children as if they were her own, giving them a safe and happy place to learn, play, and grow. Our kids run to her at drop-off. They talk about her at dinner. She's been part of their earliest memories, and ours too.

And Makayla and Andrew’s love doesn’t stop at the daycare door. They are two of the most involved people in St. Joe, always showing up, always lending a hand, and always looking for ways to make our community a better and more joyful place for everyone. They believe in this town and the people in it, and St. Joe is better because of it.

Now it’s our turn to show up for them.

This fundraiser will help Makayla and Andrew cover mounting medical bills, future surgeries, everyday household expenses, and lost income while her daycare is closed. No family should have to worry about bills while sitting at a loved one’s bedside. Our hope is to carry some of that weight so they can focus on what matters most: Makayla’s recovery, their baby, and each other.

If you’re able to give, any amount, big or small, truly means the world. If you can’t give financially, please share this page and keep Makayla, Andrew, their families, and their little one in your thoughts and prayers.

Makayla has spent her life caring for others. Let’s wrap her family in that same love. Every donation, share, and prayer reminds them this community has their back, just as they have ours.

Funds go directly to the Mooney Family. We’ll share updates here as we’re able.