I’m reaching out today on behalf of someone very dear to me—a woman who has been a single mom of three for most of her life. She’s always chosen a simple, humble life, centered on family—and for the past three years, she’s kept a stable single income apartment in West Knoxville, working full-time as an Uber driver, homeschooling her 8-year-old daughter, and pursuing a college degree in sustainable agriculture. Her oldest son just recently graduated high school is about to start tech school through Tennessee Promise. She is incredibly proud of him and also supporting him through this important milestone of his life.
But this past year has been an unimaginable challenge. In 2025, she was hospitalized for two weeks with double pneumonia and sepsis. After that, she kept getting sick—month after month—until finally, in November, she was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes. She’d probably had it for months without knowing. Her A1C was 14.3, and she was in diabetic ketoacidosis. After another two weeks in the hospital, she began a life-changing routine of doctor visits, medications, and constant care—something she never had before.
On top of that, she was recently diagnosed with late-onset asthma—something she likely had all her life, but went untreated. Now, managing both asthma and diabetes requires frequent doctor visits and a steady regimen of medication—something completely new for her, as she had never needed prescriptions before March of last year.
Despite all of this, she has never stopped working, never stopped showing up for her kids, and never stopped fighting for her future. She receives little to no help from her children’s fathers because she doesn’t believe in forcing them to do more than they can. But now, she’s at a breaking point. With missed work due to illness, she has no savings left. She’s behind on almost every bill—except rent—because that’s something she’s fought hard to keep stable. And now, her car—her only way to earn—needs over $5,000 in repairs. Without it, she can’t work, and she can’t keep this fragile balance.
We’re asking for any support you can offer—no amount is too small. Every dollar will help cover bills, car repairs, and keep this hardworking mom and her kids afloat as she continues this new chapter of her life. If you can’t donate, please share—every bit of support means the world. Thank you for standing by her—she is one of the strongest people I know
