With heavy hearts, we come together once again to support Aaron (12) and Andrew (10)—two young boys who have endured more loss than any child should. Imagine a life forever changed by loss… In just two short years, they have lost both of their parents.
Aaron and Andrew are bright, loving boys with big hearts. They both love playing sports like soccer and basketball. Aaron is a foodie with an impeccable palate and gives excellent food critiques. He also proudly plays the trumpet. Andrew is known for his sweet tooth, his kindness, and his willingness to help fix, repair, or put things together. They are thoughtful, curious, and deeply loved by their parents.
Their father, Sam, was a beloved brother, a fervent pastor, and a man who selflessly served his community. After bravely battling kidney disease for years, he passed away due to complications following a life-saving kidney transplant. Sam’s faith, compassion, and dedication to others left a lasting impact on everyone who knew him—“Love God, Love People.” His loss changed their lives forever, yet Sharla carried his legacy forward as she continued raising their boys with strength and grace.
Even through illness and grief, Sharla poured everything she had into raising her boys with love, faith, and stability. A devoted Registered Nurse and caregiver by nature, her greatest calling was being their mom. Just this past August, she worked tirelessly to create a new home for them in South Jersey—a place meant to be filled with hope, laughter, and new beginnings.
However, after a courageous four-year battle with cancer, their mother, Sharla Lavarin-Ulett, has transitioned from this life.
Walking With Them Forward
Right now, Aaron and Andrew are learning how to live in a world forever changed. Their courage in the face of unimaginable grief is something no child should have to summon so young. They are learning how to grieve, how to adjust, and how to keep moving forward—without the two people who loved them most.
This fundraiser is centered entirely on supporting Aaron and Andrew as they grow up. The funds raised will help provide for their schooling, future college endeavors, grief therapy, and summer enrichment activities—resources that bring stability, healing, and opportunities for joy along the way.
No one should walk this path alone. Our community stands with them, heart and soul, helping to shoulder what feels impossibly heavy. This support means more than money—it means love in action, showing up in ways that remind these boys they are seen, cherished, and protected.
Your kindness echoes far beyond today, shaping their tomorrows in ways that words cannot fully capture. Together, we can help them feel hope again—hope that love still surrounds them, that their future still holds promise, and that God has not forgotten them.
If you are able to give, please consider supporting these boys in any way you can. If you cannot give, we ask that you please lift them up in prayer and share this page.
Thank you for coming together once again. May God bless you for being a source of light, love, and hope for Aaron and Andrew.
“The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”
Psalm 34:18