Please help Amanda and Richie get thru this

Hi, my name is Karen. It’s with a heavy heart that I’m creating this fundraiser for my daughter and grandson.

On Wednesday morning, September 20, 2023, my son in law, Richard, decided to end his life.

This was not something anyone saw coming in any way. There was no explanation or prior signs of any depression or serious problems. He was a proud man that always took care of his family and would be the one you knew you could turn to in a time of need. He was an over the road truck driver for many years and just recently got off the road. Apparently financial hardships came up and he kept it to himself. We can only speculate that this was the reason he decided to do what he did.

He leaves behind his son, my grandson, Richie. He is a 16 year old outgoing, smart kid. He is a good kid. This has turned his world upside down.

He also leaves my daughter, Amanda, his other half, for the last 13 years. He was so good to her and she loved him beyond measure. And I know he loved her as deeply. I could not have asked for a better man for her than him.

She found him Wednesday morning.

Now we are all questioning ourselves and trying to see if we missed something, anything, that would’ve suggested this was coming. We have no answers. Only an unthinkable pain and grief that has settled over the family. Amanda is beside herself with grief, anger, sadness, shock, all the emotions you can imagine. There’s no way to understand what they are going thru unless you have experienced it yourself. And I wish that on nobody!

We have come together as a family to rally around them and support them any way we can.

But they have a long journey ahead of them. And even though it may feel like her world has come to a screeching halt, the clock and calendar keeps moving forward. Life has to go on.

She has been a stay at home mom for Richie for the majority of his life while Richard was OTR. Going forward there will be a lot of changes and adjustments that need to be made, but right now she needs to focus on her and Richie’s well being. They are in the midst of making the final arrangements with Richards family.

I made this account so that she can have her time to grieve and sort her mind. I don’t want her to stress on the day to day finances that are coming up. She needs to focus on herself and her mental health, as well as Richie’s. The time will soon come that she will have to make changes, return to the workforce, etc. But for now she needs to grieve and just breathe. One day at a time, one second at a time, if that’s all she can do.

As I close this I ask for prayers for the family. God can do the impossible, He can heal the broken-hearted. He can bring comfort and peace in this time of need. If only we trust, pray, and believe.

Richard was a veteran, a Marine.

He was a proud Marine. My only wish is that he would’ve reached out when he was feeling the way he did. So I ask, no.. I BEG you, if you ever get to that dark place and that this seems to be the only solution, PLEASE reach out to somebody. This is not the answer. It only projects more pain and suffering on the ones left behind.

Thank you for any donation you may be able to contribute. Please continue to pray and share this post