Support Nick's Boys after losing their Dad, 32, to RARE GPA

For those of you who know us, you understand why this gofundme was created. For those of you who don't know us, let me share a little bit about us.

Nick and I matched on Feb 13, 2020, on Facebook Dating. We talked the whole evening into the morning hours and he wanted to be my valentine! But I already had Galentines Day plans. Our first date was a couple days later. I went to his house after he got out of work, he brought me home some chicken wings that he made, which he remembered I told him I loved, we sat on his couch watching My Cousin Vinny and we talked for hours into the morning. I had such a good time for a first date, I had the biggest smile on my face and butterflies in my stomach!! When it was time for me to leave, he walked me to my car and gave me a hug; which I made very awkward very fast because I thought he was going in for a kiss and that wasn't his plan LOL

He later told me from that very first awkward moment, he knew I was special and knew he wanted to spend more time with me!

After about a year and a half of dating he knew he wanted to spend the rest of his life with me! Which is another chicken wing story for another time LOL

Nick and I love traveling!! The Covid-19 pandemic started a month after we met, and that was the best opportunity for us! We went to Maine and New Hampshire all the time (which are some of our favorite places), he showed me around Massachusetts in the places he used to live, we went to restaurants and concerts, and state parks and cities to walk around. We made so many wonderful memories.

When Nick and I met, he was a cook at a local mom n' pop place but he wanted to be better himself and make more of his life for himself and for me. He slowly started bouncing from job to job, learning more skills and gaining more experience driving trucks that didn't require a special license, so he could work his way to a CDL Drivers Lisence! He studied and studied, took a job with WM, where he went to Florida for a 3 week course, missed special holiday time with loved ones, studied more and worked his butt off!! It took him a few tries, but he passed all his tests, all his endorsements and his training with flying colors. I was so proud of him for being proud of himself when that CDL license came in the mail!! Since that day he has continued to better his life and ours, taking the harder jobs to make sure we never went wanting for anything!!

In October 2023, Nick finally achieved his goal of landing a state job! He was so excited, he called me crying on the phone that he received his acceptance email to the RIDOT!! I cried on the phone with him because I was so proud of him and because I could hear he was so proud of himself!! He loved what he was doing, even though it was hard and he was very tired everyday when he got home. He told me it was weird, he had never been in a job where people actually cared about eachother; and I told him that was wonderful and that was something special about a local job with a bunch of townies. I think that added so much more to his love of living out in the country versus the big city.

Nick first started having health problems shortly after he started his dream job and right atound the time we found out I was pregnant with Oliver! He got an infection in a cut that got very infected, which we believe brought our a dormant autoimmune disease. In April 2024, Nick was diagnosed with GPA. GPA is a form of vasculitis (inflammation of the small blood vessels in your body) that affects multiple organs, and systems, in the body. This disease is disgusting and very aggressive, and heart wrenching! I wouldn't wish this on anyone. He has been in and out of the hospital since February, some admissions for a months time each. This disease has slowly been taking my husband from us, attacking his lungs, liver, kidneys, pancreas, skin, fingers, feet, sinuses, nose, blood, bowles, ability to eat, immune system, respitory system skeletal and muscular systems, and most recently his brain is now being affected. He hasnt stood up in months, he has a hard time sitting up in his hospital bed and can now no longer lift his arms from being stuck in a hospital bed for so long. I can't even tell you the last time my husband gave me a hug and that is heart shattering, I wish I had hugged him while he could still give me one. I just kept thinking he would come home and be able to give me one then!

The greatest gift my husband could have ever given me was the opportunity to be a mom! Our two boys, Nick Jr and Oliver are our pride and joy! When Nicky was born my husband told me not to worry, we would be all set, don't stress; he wanted me to quit working and be a stay at home mom. And let me tell you, it's the best job in the world!! And I have adored watching him become a dad, and how much he has loved being a dad!!

This was a very difficult pregnancy for many reasons! Nick missed most of my pregnancy, most of my baby appointments and the birth of his second son. I get to introduce them this coming weekend and when I told him I could bring our boys to see him, I could see tears in his eyes. I had them rolling down my face full of over joyed and heart shattering emotions that he is now a month old and going to be able to meet his daddy. Nicky asks for his daddy every day and looks for him all the time. I don't know how I'm supposed to raise them and live this life without my best friend. I know he will be watching over us and keeping us safe until we can meet again.

In the last 4 years that we have been together we have laughed, hurt eachother, cried, argued, supported eachother and pushed eachother to be better, become husband and wife, become parents and have loved eachother more and more every day. I'm so proud of the person my husband is and how he has always pushed himself to he better for himself, me and our two beautiful little boys. I never could have imagined finding a better partner to spend my life with, or father for our boys, than the ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL soul I found in Nick!!

As I write this he is still with us, he's so strong and he's still fighting to be with us and come home, but unfortunately he won't be able to do that. As time is dwindling he still has hope! Im doing my best to cope but I know he will always be in our hearts with us!

My husband just turned 32 on July 8th; he is so young to be suffering the way he is. We had our whole lives together ahead of us, so preparing for his death was nowhere on our radar. I have two beautiful boys to get me through this along with a big family for love and support. However I need help, and I am NOT the person to ask for it. But this is an unimaginable predicament we are in. My husband did not have any kind of life insurance. Hospital bills have started coming in and my husband hasn't worked to receive income since February. I can't imagine what bills are going to amount to, the little savings we had are gone and I now have two little babies to raise without their daddy. I want them to grow up and achieve their dreams like Nick did. I'm hoping to raise enough money cover funeral costs, hospital bills, bills as im still in a maternity period, maybe a small amount for each of my kids to start college and a rainy day fund to do things for my boys I promised my husband I would still do. I've seen this side do amazing things for those in need. And as I have never wanted to be someone who needs this, I'm at a point in my life where it is desperately needed. If you've read this far, please at least say a prayer for all of us ans if you can share our story with others that's wonderful; If you can donate I can never come up with enough words to thank you!! I pray you never have to watch any of this happen to yourself or your loved ones!!