Support Sarah and Alexander's Journey After Losing David

Help a Grieving Mother and Son Rebuild After a Devastating Loss

Hello, and thank you for taking the time to visit this page and read about a family navigating unimaginable heartbreak.

My name is Sami, and I’m fundraising on behalf of my sister, Sarah, and my 11-year-old nephew, Alexander. On May 22, 2025, Sarah lost her husband and Alexander lost his beloved father, David Duta, after a brutal and devastating recurrence of cancer.

A Devastating Loss. A Family Shattered.

Two years ago, David was diagnosed with throat cancer at just 40 years old. He fought with everything he had—enduring chemo, radiation, healthy living, dozens of hospital visits, and a long, painful recovery. And he beat it. He went into remission, and for a while, we dared to believe they had been given a second chance.

But in January 2025, everything changed.

I got a text from Sarah that I will never forget:

“Sami, I need help. The cancer is back.”

Only this time, it came back with an unimaginable vengeance.

David’s health declined rapidly. In just four months, the cancer spread from his throat to his lungs, bones, and eventually his heart. He endured a collapsed lung, constant fluid buildup, a broken femur, a dislocated hip, and a body failing faster than any of us could keep up with. He had a tube to his stomach, a drain from his one functioning lung, and a tracheostomy just to breathe.

I watched my sister, and David’s mother, Rosita, care for him night and day—tireless, terrified, and heartbroken. The days became a blur of emergency calls, hospital visits, medical equipment deliveries, and the constant rearranging of pillows and tubes to give him just one more moment of comfort.

It was torture. There’s no softer word. Four months of watching a strong, loving father be reduced to a skeletal shell. Four months of his family loving and caring for him as he struggled to hold on. Four months of fighting for every breath, every heartbeat, every sliver of hope.

My sister sat beside her husband’s hospital bed, gently holding his hand as he drifted in and out of consciousness and reminded him, we were here. His mother kissed his forehead countless times saying, “I love you, my son.” Sarah brought their son to say goodbye to the man who meant everything.

David died in a hospital bed set up in their family room. Sarah laid next to him, holding him as he took his final breath.

David's one wish, through it all:

“I just wish I had more time.”

Why We Need Your Help

Insurance payments, medical equipment, hospital visits, and treatments have completely eroded their savings. On top of that, David was not just a devoted husband and father – he was also the sole provider for his family. Now, amid overwhelming grief, Sarah and Alexander face a terrifying new reality: life without him—without his support, income, or presence.

This fundraiser aims to raise $27,000 to help them survive this transition and give them the stability to begin rebuilding.

How Your Donation Will Help

The cost of living in California is high, and navigating grief while dealing with sudden financial collapse is overwhelming. Your donation will help Sarah and Alexander meet their most critical needs:

4 Months of Rent & Utilities – $10,000

To keep them housed while Sarah applies for aid and begins piecing their life back together.

Groceries & Household Essentials – $3,000

Ensuring basic needs are met during these first painful months.

Grief Counseling & Mental Health Support – $3,000

Therapy for both Sarah and Alexander to process their trauma and begin healing.

Legal and Memorial Costs – $2,500

Cover filing fees, and assist with memorial costs.

Medical Bills – $2,500

Any medical bills that are incurred while Sarah applies for assistance and health insurance.

Alexander’s Schooling & Childcare – $2,000

Helping him stay on track with his education while Sarah seeks work.

Emergency & Transitional Fund – $4,000

A buffer for unforeseen costs as they navigate this new, difficult chapter.

You Can Make a Difference

I watched my sister love David with her whole heart until the very end. I watched her wipe his brow, hold his hand, and remind him that he was safe—even as his body failed him.

I watched her become a widow at 37.

I watched a son lose his father.

And I will watch Sarah now as she raises their son with the same fierce love and strength she gave to David.

If you can give anything—even $5, $10, $50—please know it will make a difference. And if you can’t donate, please share this story with others who might be able to help.

From the depths of my heart, thank you.

For reading.

For caring.

For helping them carry on.

With love and gratitude,

Sami