Lost a Loving Father - Fundraiser for Zhang Family
Donation protected
In late June, my uncle, Zhang Hua, passed away from electrocution while working as a private construction laborer at the age of 32. He was a loving, witty, and energetic father to his three children (Zhang Yong Tao: 7 years old, Zhang Meng Yao: 8, Zhang Zi Han: 10) and a caring husband to my aunt, Xiao Ying Mao.
Uncle Zhang would go out and play with his children every Sunday when he got off from work. They would go for hikes, eat ice cream, and play ping pong.
In the evenings on weekdays, after he finished work, he would help his kids with homework and encourage them to study.
Pewdiepie & Minecraft:
Zi Han and his brother Yong Tao watch Pewdiepie videos everyday. They told me that they quite enjoy the Minecraft series. Zi Han even drew 'Sven', the dog, with crayons!
The Current Situation:
While Uncle Zhang’s death marks the end of his journey, it is only the beginning of a very long and arduous road ahead for his family. They will need help to address the heartbreaking reality that he is no longer there to provide for his children. The Zhang family has neither a source of income nor any savings. Aunt Xiao has been grieving for several weeks, while the three children still do not know that their father has passed away. They are under the pretense that their father is away on a business trip overseas.
Aunt Xiao reached out to me and the rest of her family a few days back and told us of the events that have occurred. (They live in Jia He, Hunan). I, as a Canadian high-school student who has access to free education, healthcare, and many aid programs, am painfully aware of the vast difference in aid received, or rather lack of any aid, for my relatives in this situation. They don't get any help from the government while still having to pay for rent, food, and schooling for three kids.
To make matters worse, my aunt has to take on the heavy burden of being a single mother of three kids, on top of coping with her loss and attempting to find a job.
She told me: "I don't know what to do. I can't provide for my children and can't pay for them to go back to school in the fall. My heart aches."
Three bright children shouldn't have to drop out of school. They shouldn't have to deal with being disconnected from their friends and community. They shouldn't have to feel further pain and stress. Their lives will take a drastic turn for the worse, but we can give them our support and help them through it by making sure they can stay in school, eat, and have a roof over their heads.
Costs:
Aunt Xiao gave me an estimate for the bare necessities, the absolute minimum for survival, including tuition to be around $23,000 CAD per year. The goal is to raise as much as possible to support the family until she can hopefully find a stable job and still be able to raise her children. Regrettably, an extremely tough task.
The family is grateful to everyone who has reached out thus far and asked how they can help. This GoFundMe has been created to offer hope for the future in terms of concrete financial support to Aunt Xiao's family of four. Please share this fundraiser with all of your friends and family. With the love, strength, and generosity of family, friends, and kind hearted souls, please contribute and support this effort as you are able.
Any amount is appreciated; every dollar counts.
Uncle Zhang would go out and play with his children every Sunday when he got off from work. They would go for hikes, eat ice cream, and play ping pong.
In the evenings on weekdays, after he finished work, he would help his kids with homework and encourage them to study.
Pewdiepie & Minecraft:
Zi Han and his brother Yong Tao watch Pewdiepie videos everyday. They told me that they quite enjoy the Minecraft series. Zi Han even drew 'Sven', the dog, with crayons!
The Current Situation:
While Uncle Zhang’s death marks the end of his journey, it is only the beginning of a very long and arduous road ahead for his family. They will need help to address the heartbreaking reality that he is no longer there to provide for his children. The Zhang family has neither a source of income nor any savings. Aunt Xiao has been grieving for several weeks, while the three children still do not know that their father has passed away. They are under the pretense that their father is away on a business trip overseas.
Aunt Xiao reached out to me and the rest of her family a few days back and told us of the events that have occurred. (They live in Jia He, Hunan). I, as a Canadian high-school student who has access to free education, healthcare, and many aid programs, am painfully aware of the vast difference in aid received, or rather lack of any aid, for my relatives in this situation. They don't get any help from the government while still having to pay for rent, food, and schooling for three kids.
To make matters worse, my aunt has to take on the heavy burden of being a single mother of three kids, on top of coping with her loss and attempting to find a job.
She told me: "I don't know what to do. I can't provide for my children and can't pay for them to go back to school in the fall. My heart aches."
Three bright children shouldn't have to drop out of school. They shouldn't have to deal with being disconnected from their friends and community. They shouldn't have to feel further pain and stress. Their lives will take a drastic turn for the worse, but we can give them our support and help them through it by making sure they can stay in school, eat, and have a roof over their heads.
Costs:
Aunt Xiao gave me an estimate for the bare necessities, the absolute minimum for survival, including tuition to be around $23,000 CAD per year. The goal is to raise as much as possible to support the family until she can hopefully find a stable job and still be able to raise her children. Regrettably, an extremely tough task.
The family is grateful to everyone who has reached out thus far and asked how they can help. This GoFundMe has been created to offer hope for the future in terms of concrete financial support to Aunt Xiao's family of four. Please share this fundraiser with all of your friends and family. With the love, strength, and generosity of family, friends, and kind hearted souls, please contribute and support this effort as you are able.
Any amount is appreciated; every dollar counts.
Organizer
Andrew Liu
Organizer
Toronto, ON