Hello, my name is Sydney. I am the youngest daughter of Mark and Lorri Cooley and I am organizing this fundraiser for them.

UPDATE 2/3/26:

My dad has been back in the hospital for over a week now. Last Monday he went in with symptoms of a stroke. Slurring his words, off balance, and loss of movement in his left arm and hand. They did an MRI and CT scans which showed he had 2 strokes that morning, and the cause is from a carotid artery in his neck. He was scheduled to have surgery this morning to clean it out the blockage in his artery. Unfortunately, he suffered another stroke this morning and it made surgery too risky. He will stay in the hospital for a few days to let his brain heal, they will be administering him a continuous low dose of blood thinners to hopefully stop anymore strokes. He is scheduled for surgery on Friday. My dad is looking at a long road of recovery ahead. At this time I’m asking for any help. All donations will go to bills, gas and food money for my mom as she drives an hour each day to be with him. If you can’t donate, please pray. That’s the absolute biggest thing we need right now. Continued prayers for my dad. He’s the best man I know. I can’t imagine a life without him.

For years, my parents poured their hearts into their community — and into the food truck business they built from the ground up. Their truck wasn’t just a way to make a living; it was a way to serve others. They spent over 20 years cooking for people in need, delivering free meals to the homeless, partnering with local police to help those struggling, and even traveling to Mexico countless times to build homes and feed families living in poverty. My dad lived in an orphanage in Mexico for 4 months, so he could cook for the children. They’ve always given everything they could to others — never asking for anything in return.

But now, their health has taken a heartbreaking turn. In 2024, my dad suffered a heart attack, and not long before this, his type 2 diabetes caused him to lose nearly all of his vision. He is in Kidney failure and is on dialysis 3 times a week. With his condition worsening and my mom now his full-time caretaker, they’ve been forced to step away from the food truck and all the work they poured their love and lives into. My mom has suffered severe muscle and nerve damage in both of her hands as a result of the work that they did for a living. She has already undergone one surgery to help correct it, she is scheduled for another surgery in a couple of months. Without a source of income, and with medical bills piling up, they’re struggling just to make ends meet.

My dad is also in the process of getting his health in a good enough place to where he can be put on the transplant list for a new kidney. This is a really heartbreaking reality for our family. Through everything, both of my parents remain two of the most loving, beautiful humans I’ve ever known. 

These are two people who have dedicated their lives to helping everyone else — and now they need a little help themselves. Any donation, big or small, will go directly toward covering medical expenses, daily living costs, and helping them find some peace and stability during this incredibly hard time. Thank you for your kindness, generosity, and for supporting two people who have spent decades giving so selflessly to others.