The Barbee Family

On July 23, 2023 the Barbee family lost our matriarch, Doe Barbee, to a long and difficult fight with mental illness. Two days later, Jenna, the lovely wife of John Barbee and mother to Eleanor (13) and Sam (10), was diagnosed with an aggressive form of breast cancer.

While the shock is deeply felt by the whole family and the community who know and love us, the Barbee clan are nothing if not survivors. We are rallying together in our grief while standing at the precipice of a future yet to be written. As a family, we want to reinforce our commitment to life and joy while honoring the best parts of our Mom and her incredible capacity for generosity and kindness to those in need.

We ask that you too, who knew and loved our Mom, join us in directing what gratitude you have felt for her toward John and Jenna, her beloved son and daughter-in-law, who now need and deserve to feel the goodness in life headed their direction. Mom would have wanted to be remembered in this way.

In lieu of flowers or gifts, please contribute to this campaign which will directly aid in covering John and Jenna's living expenses and medical care over the next 6 months of intensive treatment, allowing them the peace of mind and financial freedom to focus on healing, their future, and spending much needed time at home with their kids and closest friends while they walk through an exceptionally tough next chapter.

It is difficult for all of us to ask for help- the Barbees are pretty notorious for trying to tough it out in the worst of times- but today, we are so utterly shocked by these events that we can do little else but lean in and ask for your love, your prayers, your support, and your gentle attention.

This is both an end and a beginning. We are holding terrible grief and tenacious hope. Thanks for standing with us- we need all the courage you are willing to share. Knowing us as you do, you know we will sure as hell pay it forward.