Over the weekend, our dear friend, neighbor, and incredible mother, Michelle Morley, experienced a devastating accident that changed her life in an instant.

Michelle suffered severe burns to her back and legs after falling into a built-in masonry fire pit. She is currently in the burn unit at a Washington, DC hospital, where she will undergo multiple surgeries and face a long road to recovery.

Anyone who knows Michelle knows that she is one of the strongest, kindest, and most hardworking people you could ever meet. When she unexpectedly lost her corporate job a few years ago, she refused to give up on providing for her family. Despite an incredibly difficult job market, Michelle poured her creativity and heart into building her candle-making business, Chix & Wix, turning her passion into something meaningful for both her family and her community. At the same time, she launched her own UX business so she could continue the work she loved during her corporate career. Even while building two businesses from the ground up, Michelle still took on additional work — including cat sitting, bartending at a local brewery, and working as a mobile notary — simply to ensure her family stayed afloat. No matter how difficult things became, Michelle never stopped fighting for her family and never stopped showing up for the people around her.

As Michelle remains hospitalized in Washington, DC, Tom is continuing to try to work while caring for their twin eighth grade girls and making the long drive to Washington, DC to be by Michelle’s side. Between medical expenses, lost income, travel costs, and daily household needs, the financial burden will be overwhelming.

Now, Michelle and her family need our help, as the road ahead will be incredibly challenging. If you are able, please consider donating to help ease the stress on Michelle and her family so she can focus on healing and recovery. Every donation, prayer, and share means so much and will be greatly appreciated.