Kelly Guest

Update: 10 months without Aurelia It has been nearly 10 months since I lost my sweet Aurelia in January, and I wanted to share a brief update with this incredible community. The pain of this loss remains deeply heavy, and navigating daily life without Aurelia is a challenge I face every single day. I am still attending therapy for traumatic loss to help process this profound grief and find a way forward. On the professional front, I am still actively looking for full-time work. Finding the right fit while managing this emotional journey takes time, but I am staying persistent. Thank you all from the bottom of my heart for your continued financial support, your kind words, and your prayers. Your generosity has provided a vital safety net for me during the hardest chapter of my life. Because I am still searching for employment, your ongoing donations are still deeply needed to help cover my basic cost of living. Please continue to keep me in your thoughts. If you are able, please consider making a donation and/or sharing this fundraiser with others to help spread the word. Every bit of support means the world to me.

Thank you for your continued sharing and support A donation of $50 helps with groceries for the week. A donation of $70 fills my tank with gas.

Thank you all so much for the continued love and financial support that is keeping me afloat through the losses of Jason and Aurelia. As I navigate this heavy complex grief moment by moment, people ask me how they can best emotionally support me (in addition to the financial) without overwhelming me. Right now, the best thing that you can do is treat me normally. I love hearing your everyday stories, and you don’t have to walk on eggshells around me. If you want to talk about Jason or Aurelia, please do–hearing their names brings me comfort. And if I need to step away or keep things brief, it’s just me managing my energy and has nothing to do with you. Just showing up and saying “I’m here” is more than enough.

Update: 9 Months Without Aurelia: Navigating unspeakable loss and seeking your continued support. Dear friends, family, and kind supporters, I am reaching out today with a heavy heart to share an honest update on where things stand. As many of you know, my journey over the last two years has been a series of devastating losses. After losing my husband and my job as his caretaker, I faced the crushing task of downsizing the family home and moving while deep in grief. Just as my FMLA and unemployment benefits where exhausted and I began looking for work again, the unimaginable happened: my beloved 23-year-old child passed away by suicide. The trauma of losing my child in this way and so suddenly, on top of losing my husband, has left me diagnosed with PTSD and complicated grief. Some days, just getting out of bed is a monumental task. I am not giving up. I am actively trying to find work. However, because of the complex grief I am experiencing along with the trauma, I am limited in what I can do right now. High-stress environments activate severe anxiety and trauma responses for me. I am specifically looking for a very low-stress, gentle work environment where I can function safely while I work on healing. I have not found the right fit yet. I am profoundly grateful to everyone who helped fund my child’s memorial and burial, and helped fix my car this past month. Your generosity provided a lifeline when I was entirely drowning. Presently, I continue to face a financial crisis. I am in dire need of funding to cover basic living expenses-like rent, utilities, and food-to bridge the gap while I continue my job search and work towards stabilization and healing. If you are able to donate, even a small amount, it will directly help me take care of basic living expenses. If you cannot donate, please consider sharing this link with your network, or letting me know if you hear of any low-stress, flexible employment opportunities. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for standing by me and holding space for my grief during this incredibly dark chapter of my life. With love and gratitude, Kelly

Update: Thanks to all the anonymous donors who have supported me through this traumatic, unexpected, and unfathomable loss. Thanks for your continued support and sharing this campaign. Further donations will be used for basic living expenses as I navigate complicated grief and search for employment.

Update: This Friday will be the 2 year anniversary of Jason’s passing. The body knows without the calendar reminder. The grief is endlessly complicated by the death of our firstborn. . Thank you for donating and sharing as I navigate these losses and finding a new job. Any further donations will help with my basic living expenses.

Update: Mini fundraiser to fix the Highlander. The $2000 goal to fix the Highlander has been reached! Thanks for donating and sharing. Any additional funds donated will be used towards monthly living fees as I continue to find employment. Thanks for your continued support. Photo ID: Aurelia & I in Portland. Our last visit. 11/25.

Update: Mini Campaign to fix the Highlander. We have passed the 3/4 mark and heading towards the finish line. Thanks to all for donating and sharing this campaign. Anything beyond the goal will help towards monthly living expenses as I look for employment that is a good fit. Photo ID: Aurelia & I on our last tree adventure 2023.