Support Sarah and Aurelia's Move to Safety

Help us get to Portugal!

We no longer feel safe in the United States with the current political climate, and we are looking to emigrate to Portugal. Unsurprisingly, it’s due to the hate we’ve received as a queer couple and the dearth of health care options. The cost of living in Portugal is lower, health care is much lower thanks to such things as “regulations” and “patient protections”. We will be able to live on Sarah’s pensions without having to choose between insulin and a roof over our heads. And we will no longer be a government target because we’re queer.

The problem is starting new there. We’re liquidating everything we can. Every dollar and dime we’ve scrounged together over the years. It will be enough to get us into the EU with the clothes on our backs, 257 cubic feet of basic household supplies, no furniture, and limited to no funds. Market volatility and a collapsing exchange rate between the US and EU have eliminated any margin for error. We had enough to get a basic bed before the dollar tanked V’s the euro, now we have no safety net or emergency fund.

Sarah is a 100% disabled veteran and medically retired from the Austin police department after falling ill. She’s spent most of her life in service to her community and country. Unfortunately, she’s also a transwoman, which has become the latest community for the GOP to demonize. Both the Department of Veteran’s Affairs and the State of Texas are taking steps to remove access to the gender-affirming care that has saved her life.

Aurelia’s family has been in the United States going back as far as she can trace it. Her 10 years as a FEMA disaster inspector is on the chopping block and her access to health care has also been slashed. She’s trapped in the grey area where Sarah’s disability is too much to qualify for Medicaid, and who knows how long that program will last, but not enough to cover private insurance. ChampVA, the program that provides healthcare to spouses of 100% disabled veterans, has found itself in the crosshairs of the Trump administration and DOGE. Applications took more than six months before they started mandating return-to-office and cutting staff at the VA.

Guess who all worked-from-home? That’s right, the ChampVA application processors. Aurelia’s life saving medications cost more than our mortgage and student loan payments combined, Leaving us unable to save or get ahead.

So, we’re asking for help. The fundraiser here will cover the practical parts of the move. Airline tickets are covered by a friend but baggage and pet fees are not, securing an apartment (which must be done before Portugal will issue the visa, leaving us paying a mortgage and rent for a place we can’t live in, ouch!) and getting utilities connected. It will give us a buffer if the exchange rate continues its nosedive.

Emigrating is expensive, and it gets even more so when you lose 12% of everything you have, and you’re paying a 35% penalty to crack the retirement accounts as well.

The past few months have been one of grief. We’ve both given so much of our blood, sweat, and tears in service to our home, community and country. It’s hard, and sad, to say goodbye to our home and the life we’ve made here. But it’s necessary. Any help would be appreciated.

The pensions will cover our monthly expenses, but at the way things are going we won’t be able to afford a bed, or towels, or anything else when we arrive. We are both physically disabled it’s not good for us to pretend we’re 20 and sleep on a floor for a month or two.

There has been a lot of grief. This is hard, scary and sad, but it’s necessary and it’s time. Any help would be greatly appreciated.