Zaire’s Road to recovery!
Donation protected
As a social worker, I find myself driven to help people. To find solutions, give advice, advocate, follow-up, educate, evaluate, learn and find out what I can do differently to be a better public servant. In most cases, it is usually strangers I am tasked with helping...that is until we build a relationship and they become the client, who trusts us with their well-being. We support our clients through all manner of tragedies, many we often wonder how we might handle the same situation if it were to occur in our own life, or worse...in the life of someone we know and love dearly.
I woke up on March 2nd, 2021 6:30 am to a miss called from my sister. I immediately knew something wasn't right. See, my sister and I text very regularly and talk periodically, and usually during waking hours. I immediately called her back to hear a broken voice tell me that my 12 year old nephew had been shot by another child. The bullet entered under his left arm, damaging his lung, spleen, liver and is lodged near his spine. All my years of training and education did not leave me prepared for that moment. My brain was screaming "HOW?", "WHY?". I felt completely powerless. I had to sit in the reality that in that moment what I needed to do was listen. I just listened while she released her anger, fear, sorrow, guilt, frustration and all the emotions a mother must feel when she is unable to shield her baby from the evils of the world.
Today, I don't feel powerless. I know that I can help by checking in, providing a meal from afar or just listening when the emotional burden feels too heavy for her to bear alone. I can share the burden with her, if only for a few minutes. My nephew is now out of ICU and on the long road to recovery. His team of medical professionals give him only a 5% chance of walking again, at 12 years old. In addition to the emotional burdens, my sister has had to take unpaid family leave to be by her's son. As you can imagine, the financial burdens are also beginning to mount. We need your help. Please consider donating to help ease the financial burden on my sister and nephew as they navigate through a senseless tragedy that has changed their lives forever.
I woke up on March 2nd, 2021 6:30 am to a miss called from my sister. I immediately knew something wasn't right. See, my sister and I text very regularly and talk periodically, and usually during waking hours. I immediately called her back to hear a broken voice tell me that my 12 year old nephew had been shot by another child. The bullet entered under his left arm, damaging his lung, spleen, liver and is lodged near his spine. All my years of training and education did not leave me prepared for that moment. My brain was screaming "HOW?", "WHY?". I felt completely powerless. I had to sit in the reality that in that moment what I needed to do was listen. I just listened while she released her anger, fear, sorrow, guilt, frustration and all the emotions a mother must feel when she is unable to shield her baby from the evils of the world.
Today, I don't feel powerless. I know that I can help by checking in, providing a meal from afar or just listening when the emotional burden feels too heavy for her to bear alone. I can share the burden with her, if only for a few minutes. My nephew is now out of ICU and on the long road to recovery. His team of medical professionals give him only a 5% chance of walking again, at 12 years old. In addition to the emotional burdens, my sister has had to take unpaid family leave to be by her's son. As you can imagine, the financial burdens are also beginning to mount. We need your help. Please consider donating to help ease the financial burden on my sister and nephew as they navigate through a senseless tragedy that has changed their lives forever.
Organizer and beneficiary
Rassan Sowell
Organizer
Fort Worth, TX
Fatima Sowell
Beneficiary