My brother passed away just before Christmas. None of us knew that 2024 would be the last Christmas we would ever spend together, or 2025 would bring his last birthday we would celebrate with him.  No one prepares you for the last time you hear their voice on the phone, and how the conversation replays over and over again. We believed we still had time. He was only 37.

Loss has a way of teaching us lessons we never wanted to learn. If there is anything I can share from this heartbreak, it is this: love people as if every moment with them could be the last. Say the things you mean. Hold them close. Never assume tomorrow is promised.

Now our family is facing the final expenses that come with losing someone we loved so deeply, and we were not prepared for a life so young to be gone. We have been incredibly blessed and are deeply grateful for the generosity already shown. Because of that kindness, we are now just $2,400 short of what remains.

Asking for help does not come easily to me, but with the weight of other life events in 2025, this is not something our family can manage alone. If you are able to donate, we would be so thankful. If you are not, please keep us in your prayers and know that we will pray for you, just as my brother always did.

Most of all, please remember to hold those you love a little tighter today, and never miss a chance to tell them how much they mean to you.