This is a little different from what I usually post, but I am doing it out of love for another mother, actually three other mothers, two I've never met, and when too many moms are burying children, something they should never have to do, and too many children are growing up without their fathers, it feels too urgent not to share.
On top of the devastating tragedy of losing someone to gun violence (something more than 30,000 families experience every year), families are often financially unprepared for the unexpected and massive expenses that follow. And these tragedies are more often happening to families who are the least able to afford to pay for funeral services, especially when the money is needed so quickly.
A woman I work with in the fight to end gun violence suffered an unimaginable loss this week when a 5th family member was lost to gun violence. A passionate fighter, she is a survivor whose 17-year-old son was murdered in an attempted robbery 13 years ago. She is a deeply committed violence prevention advocate who volunteers with several organizations fighting to end violence. And now she has lost another beloved family member to a drive by shooting in Baltimore.
In 1990, her 16 year old nephew was killed. In 2004, her 17 year old son was killed. In 2016, she lost both a 24 year old nephew and a 23 year old cousin. And now, at the end of July 2017, her family was impacted by gun violence for a fifth time when her sister's 23 year old grandson was murdered in what sparse media coverage has called "unremarkable" and "like so many before," while acknowledging that for the victim's family it was "perhaps the most remarkable event ever." If only they knew the whole story. Four of these young men were fathers -- her son had a baby boy who was born a few months after he was killed, her cousin also had a son, and her nephews each had 3 daughters.
In this family alone, five mothers have buried their murdered children, something a mother should never have to do, and 8 children are now growing up without their fathers.
We can't bring back their beloved son/grandson/nephew, but we can make sure that his family, who wishes to remain anonymous, is not experiencing financial distress as they struggle with the emotional distress of losing a 23-year-old young man to senseless violence.
The goal of the campaign is to raise $6,076 by this Monday, July 31st (as of 5 pm on Sunday night, the campaign has raised $2,219 from 43 donors in 13 hours), or the family will not be able to hold a proper funeral service as planned. If you can give, it's urgent that you give now. Please contribute whatever feels generous to you -- every donation matters, every dollar raised is one less worry for this family.
I hope you will contribute and then share this link: gf.me/u/bmu6d2