Hello family and friends,

It's not often that I ask for help, but the past couple of months have been some of the hardest months me and my family have gone through. As many of you know, Tata's health is declining rapidly, which has caused us to have to care for him 24/7. Throughout the day and the night. As the weeks have gone on, I've had to witness my mom stress, become physically & emotionally weak, and break down daily.

Caring for Tata has been one of the hardest jobs we've all had to do. As you know, Tata suffered a heart attack and stroke in December. In February, he suffered several heart attacks and is now struggling to fight his phenomena. He has been placed on Hospice, is solely dependent on oxygen (40 liters), and is experiencing daily chest pain. Ralph has had to leave and miss work numerous times to rush to help my mom, even lift Tata. I've had to miss moments of graduate school to make sure someone can care for him. Feeling helpless is an understatement as we watch Tata suffer and slowly die every day.

As of March, my mom is forced to take a month off and has already exhausted all of her PTO, which has resulted in only receiving half a paycheck for February. It is becoming more and more challenging to stay afloat with bills and other essential needs. We are stuck, and watching my mom struggle has been extremely hard. I don't know what more to do to help support her. So, I’m reaching out to my family, friends, and loved ones to ask for any support—big or small—to help my mom and our family during this hard time. Any help would mean the world to us as we navigate Tata’s final days.

Love always,

Destiny Cifuentes