My name is Eric Wilson and I am raising money for my brother-in-law, Ronald C. “Smiley” Whittaker, my wife’s last surviving sibling, who unexpectedly passed away on September 12, 2025, due to complications from a terrible near-death vehicle accident in June of 2023. It saddened us that he was left with a brain injury and, after undergoing multiple surgeries, resulted in him becoming wheelchair-bound. To say we are astounded is an understatement and unfortunately, we are not prepared to pay for his funeral services or burial expenses. Ronald was the best brother, father, brother-in-law, cousin, friend, and coworker, and we are lost without him. I am raising money to cover the cost of his Going Home Service.

Ronald’s passing caused a lot of turmoil within our family due to the actions of his ex-wife, who, unbeknownst to us, became his unofficial caretaker. Woefully, she removed him from the hospital prior to him being released to a 24-hour facility where he would have received proper care towards his rehabilitation and recovery, enabling him to foster his independence. Care under his ex-wife was beyond benevolence; her “updates” were untrue, leaving us filled with falseness about his recovery and livelihood. She kept his true medical condition private while providing us with a picture-perfect synopsis of his wellness, which we discovered after finding an unofficial “memorial” service via Facebook! We will never know the degree of services she garnished.

Your generosity, kindness, and compassion will enable us to provide a proper service for Ronald’s Home Going Service and help to ease the burden and stress caused by the untimely death of our loved one. We appreciate you.