I’m sharing this for my sister-in-law, Erin, because the past year has brought more loss, change, and hardship into her life than anyone should have to carry.
Last summer, Erin lost the love of her life in a devastating accident. In an instant, she lost her partner, her best friend, and the future they had planned together. But the accident didn’t just take someone she loved deeply. Erin was also seriously injured herself, and she has been living with lasting physical and neurological effects that have changed nearly every part of her life.
Since the accident, so much of her life has revolved around medical appointments, testing, treatment, and trying to understand and manage injuries that have made everyday life look very different. She has struggled to work consistently, maintain the financial stability she had before the accident, and figure out what comes next while also trying to navigate an enormous amount of grief.
Loss is unfortunately not something that is new to Erin. Nearly ten years ago, Erin and my husband Jim lost both of their parents in a tragic accident. To see the amount of loss and hardship they have experienced over the years is almost impossible to comprehend. And yet, what has always stood out to me is their resilience. They continue to show up, keep going, and find a way forward even when life has given them every reason to stop. This situation is no different. Quit is not in their vocabulary, and what I've watched through it all is Erin continuing to try.
She has spent months applying for grants, looking for assistance, pursuing medical care, and searching for every resource available to her. She is doing everything she can to move forward and find her way back to some sense of stability. She has not stopped trying to put her life back together, even while dealing with things that would be overwhelming for anyone.
Right now, though, she has reached a point where the resources available to her aren't enough to cover the gap between what she needs and what she is able to manage on her own.
She has considered taking out a cash advance to help get through the immediate financial strain, but the long-term burden that would come with the high interest rates would create another financial hardship that would be incredibly difficult for her to overcome. We are hoping that instead, her family, friends, and community can help her get through this period without putting her in an even more difficult financial position.
This fundraiser is meant to help with basic living expenses while Erin continues pursuing grants, medical care, and other resources and works toward getting back on stable ground. This is about giving her some breathing room while she works through a period of her life that has already taken so much from her.
So we’re asking for a little help from our village.
If you are able to contribute, any amount would mean more than you know. If you aren't in a position to donate, sharing this fundraiser, sending it to someone who may be able to help, or simply keeping Erin in your thoughts means just as much.
Thank you to everyone who takes the time to read this, share it, donate, check in on her, or simply keep her in your thoughts. ❤️
