Help Alyssa and Jen - Tribute to Byron Kovacs

February 25 UPDATE:

The last week has been tragic for my niece and sister, but your support and sympathy have made the blackness a little less dark for them. Thank you all, each and every one, for your donations and food deliveries and phone calls and flowers. Alyssa had her first full day at school yesterday. Surrounded by friends, she went on a field trip to the Telus World of Science. Through the kindness of our cousin, Alyssa also got her very first puppy this week to help her heal. Sparky and Alyssa are inseparable. Jen is managing as best she can, navigating a strange new world. Thank you for helping her on her new path. It really does mean everything to them. Byron's celebration of life will be sometime in March and we will update everyone with the details once Jen and Alyssa are able to endure it. Again, thank you, thank you, thank you.

Shauna

My name is Shauna. My sister, Jennifer Kovacs and her daughter, my 12-year-old niece Alyssa, just suffered a terrible tragedy. Here is their story:

Just 2 days ago on Monday, February 13, my sister's husband Byron wasn't feeling well and stayed home from work. His daughter, Alyssa, had suffered a stomach flu over the weekend and hadn't fully recovered so she stayed home from school. Progressively feeling worse, Byron told Alyssa he was going to have a bath. He ran the bath water. Shortly after, Alyssa heard a loud crash in the bathroom. As a young girl, she didn't want to run into the bathroom where her father was bathing, so she called his name. Again. Again. And finally, after calling my sister at work, she was told to go check on him. She opened the door to find her father face-down in the overflowing water. He had suffered a heart attack and fell into the tub. Alyssa pulled her father out of the tub and called 911 and waited bravely for her mother and the paramedics to arrive. Sadly, even though Alyssa and the doctors did everything they could, Byron passed away this morning.

The days ahead will be tough. Alyssa and her mom do not have savings to cover the astronomical costs of burying a loved one and then trying to learn to live without a second income to support them. Please help Alyssa and Jen. Anything at all is greatly and humbly appreciated.