My sweet niece was born 15 weeks early — tiny, fragile, and fighting from her very first breath. Violet June spent 102 days in the NICU, hooked up to monitors, surrounded by wires, and cared for by an incredible team of doctors and nurses and even more incredible set of parents. It was a rollercoaster of fear, hope, and a lot of waiting. But after more than three months of strength and resilience, she is finally home!

Watching my best friend and her husband go through this journey has been both heartbreaking and truly inspiring. Nora and Topher have faced every challenge with so much love and courage, and it hasn’t been easy — emotionally, physically, or financially. I am in awe of their resilience and patience.

I’m starting this GoFundMe to help ease the burden a bit. I want to give them some breathing room as they transition into this amazing time having their baby girl home. Between the medical bills, time away from work, and all the unexpected expenses that come with caring for a premature baby, things are tight. On top of all that, they have had to deplete most of their savings paying for additional unexpected life events like, not one, but getting TWO AC units fixed (this summer heat is already no joke). My hope is that we can come together to support them so they can focus on what matters most: caring for their baby and enjoying life as a family, FINALLY under one roof.

$4,500 would help them get through this next month with a little breathing room, and anything extra will help them start to replenish their savings for more of those unexpected events that life tends to throw at you.

Every donation helps — whether it’s $5 or $50 — and even just sharing this means the world. Thank you for lifting them up in this incredibly special (and still challenging) time.