Help a family find hope after father's death

Hello. My name is Andrea and I'm fundraising for a young family who suffered a horrible loss recently when Shawn Ellington, husband, and father of four, passed away on Sept. 23, 2021, from kidney failure. Shawn loved life. He embraced all opportunities in his short 28 years despite being diagnosed with idiopathic proteinuria at age 15 and placed on dialysis almost immediately. Things were looking up when he finally received a kidney transplant at 22, and also met the love of his life - Stephanie Luce, a young mother of two girls whom Shawn would come to adore and love as his own. The couple married and soon added two more children to their young family which now includes: Aliss, 10; Lilly, 8; Shawn, 2 1/2; and Poppy, 18 months. The family lived in Jamestown, NY, and once Shawn received the kidney transplant he took a job at Walmart and quickly progressed through the company, working his way up to management. Shawn loved his job and remained working up until his final months.

The death of a parent is difficult enough for a child to understand and cope with all the emotions it stirs up. But when death occurs suddenly and soon after the passing of a beloved grandparent, it's almost impossible to bear. For the Ellington-Luce family, the past two years have been heartbreaking and the pain is unending now that their dad has joined their grandpa.

The family is in the process of relocating to Rochester, NY, so Stephanie and the children can be close to Shawn's family. Both Aliss and Lilly are involved in extracurricular activities such as soccer, where their mom volunteers as their team coach. The move to Rochester is weighing heavy on Stephanie's mind as she must purchase new appliances for the place she will be renting. The looming Christmas holiday season also adds a ton of anxiety, both financially and emotionally, for the young mother who spends many nights awake worrying about bills and the kids.

If you could please contribute to this Go Fund Me cause, it would go a long way to helping this young family get back on its feet as they cope with this devastating loss. Thank you and God bless!