My name is Shante, and I am a single mom to the sweetest little boy, Ridge. I am not someone who asks for help easily. This is uncomfortable and honestly embarrassing for me to write. But this time… I truly need help.

A few weeks ago, Ridge became sick in a way that scared me from the very beginning. I trusted my intuition, I knew something wasn’t right, but each time we went in, we were told to wait it out. No antibiotics. No treatment. Just "Its just a virus he needs to fight, it'll go away.” And so we waited… while things kept getting worse.

By the time we finally saw someone who took it seriously, Ridge had been admitted to the ER and already lost the ability to move his eye. Watching that happen to my child while being told to “wait” was one of the most terrifying moments of my life.

What followed was overwhelming: seven ER visits, three CT scans, an X-ray, three different antibiotics, and a full week living inside the hospital. Ridge had to undergo two separate procedures just to get the infection under control, and even now we are doing follow-up appointments and eye exams to make sure he heals completely.

Now the bills are arriving. And they’re adding up fast. I’m doing my best, but I can’t keep up with all of it on my own. I want Ridge to have every bit of care he needs without me silently panicking about how I’m going to afford it.

If you’re able to help, even a little, it would mean more than I can put into words. And if you can’t donate, sharing this would help us just as much ❤️

Thank you for reading our story and for caring about Ridge’s recovery. It means everything to us ❤️