Left Behind

Hello,

My name is Ashli Holden, and I am 17 years old. At this age, it would be assumed that I go out with friends, participate in school functions, and have some spending money from working a part-time job. However, up until this point, my life has been anything but typical for a teenager. When I was 15, my mother suddenly passed away, and I was left in my father's care. Over the course of these past few years, his presence in my life had gradually at best depreciated. With his getting remarried, by age 16 he had abandoned me in my childhood home; furthermore, leaving me completely on my own to survive. This included me caring for the  animals, keeping up with the house, grocery shopping for myself, making my own doctors appointments, every day ‘normal’ parental responsibilities, all the while being a high school student, an athlete, and maintaining a part time job (at which I had restricted hours, not allowing me to make enough to fully care for myself). About 5 months ago, my aunt became aware of this situation and since, she has graciously opened up her home to me and has received no help from my father financially. He has refused to help pay for my care, school, clothes, groceries and every expense that has to do with my everyday living. More importantly for my cause, he has refused to help with the finding of a safe and functional car, or even the repair of the car I am driving today. I have been left my mother's 2007 Jeep commander with 150K miles,  to drive. While Jeep has made a great name for itself, it has a plethora of severe issues; starting with all 4 tires being completely bald, control arm, sway bar, break line, radiator, pads, rotors, calipers, the list of necessary repairs goes on. A different dash light on every day, when it sits for longer than 2 days, it needs to be jumped, an array of leaking oils and fluids and a cracked frame to name a few more (AKA, I am driving a death trap). At this point, I am afraid of driving this vehicle even down the road. The loud sounds it makes and how it starts to shake upon going a speed above 35 mph. Multiple engineers and car specialists have quoted it as not even being worth the cost to repair it because of the severe condition. Considering my fathers lack of effort and support in all of this, I am in dire need of your support. By funding my cause, I will be able to confidently drive to school, which is now 15 miles from my current residence and the 20 miles to my job. I have never been one to ask for help unless I absolutely need it, and this situation has slipped so far from my control. In saying this, your donations would be so greatly appreciated and so very helpful as my time is running short. The last that I had heard regarding my car is that it is in my father’s name; therefore, I can neither sell nor trade it in. I am confident that my car will not be functioning for much longer, hopefully at least until July, considering that is when the plates expire.  With that being said, I ask that you generously consider a donation to help me move forward and give me the support that I am severely lacking from my own father.

Thank you in advance, although there really isn’t enough thanks I could ever give you.