I lost my partner and my daughter lost her daddy — I’m struggling to keep us afloat
I never imagined I would be making a post like this, and asking strangers for help is incredibly hard for me.
On March 26th, my daughter Willow and I lost Chris — my partner, her daddy, and the person we thought we were going to spend our lives with.
One day we were a family planning our future, and the next, everything we knew was gone.
Willow is a Daddy’s girl. She is still so little, and somehow I have to figure out how to raise her without the person who was supposed to be standing beside me through all of it. I have to carry my own grief while trying to make sure her world still feels safe, normal, and full of love.
The grief alone has been crushing. But what I wasn't prepared for was how quickly the financial reality of losing someone can become crushing too.
We went from a two-parent household to me trying to hold everything together on my own. Bills don't stop because you're grieving. Rent doesn't stop. Utilities don't stop. Groceries, the car, everyday expenses — none of it cares that some days simply getting out of bed and being a mom takes everything I have.
I've fallen behind, and I've reached a point where I can't pretend I'm managing everything anymore.
My sister helped create a GoFundMe for Willow and me because we genuinely need help getting our heads above water while we try to rebuild a life that neither of us ever asked for.
I'm not expecting strangers to fix our lives, and I completely understand that so many people are struggling financially right now. If you can't donate, I truly understand. Even sharing our fundraiser, leaving some encouragement, or simply keeping my little girl in your thoughts means more than you know.
I would give anything to have Chris back instead of needing this fundraiser. I'd trade every dollar in the world just to watch Willow run to her daddy one more time.
But I can't change what happened.
All I can do now is keep getting up every morning, keep loving our little girl enough for both of us, and keep trying to build some kind of life out of the pieces that were left behind.
If anyone is willing or able to help us, this is our GoFundMe:
Thank you for even taking the time to read our story. ❤️