Setting Up Success for Armani

You may recall the tragic story of a young woman, Ella Goodie, who suddenly went missing from our Acadiana community on March 9, 2022 and has never been found. I want to tell the story of one of the beautiful souls helping Ella’s family.

Ella has two children. Her youngest, Armani (14), has never known her father and sadly is now faced with the loss of her mother. If there can be a silver lining in this heartbreaking story, it comes in the form of this young girl’s godmother, Sandra Rubin.

When we agree to be a godparent, among many things, we agree to raise the child as our own should anything happen to the biological parents. Certainly, the furthest thing in our minds is for this specific duty to become reality.

Even during her own grief over her missing niece, it was never a question whether or not Sandra would live up to her role as godmother. With open arms and no hesitation, Sandra welcomed her goddaughter Armani into her home in hopes of ensuring some certainty and consistency during a time when the entire world is crashing down around her. Immediately, she made sure that Armani attended school and sports practices, completed homework, was fed, and still had a roof over her head.

Meanwhile, Sandra was busy doing homework of her own to ensure that Armani’s future remains bright. She spent countless grueling hours gathering paperwork and meeting with professionals to seek the legal adoption of Armani. Recently, this labor of love really paid off – the adoption was granted without question by the judge!

Sandra has a passion for working with children and does so with such finesse that it appears EASY. I first met Sandra was in 2004 when she was working at the ULL daycare. Fast-forward 16 years, and I immediately recognized her at my own children’s school on their first day of kindergarten. Being a mother of higher-order multiples (in the form of quadruplets), I had been looking for someone to help me in the afternoons. My search came to a screeching halt on this day. For nearly the past three years, Sandra has been a constant in our lives, and I am certain that my head would have spun right off of my shoulders without her.

Sandra’s own children are now grown, and she is making ends meet on less than a teacher’s salary. She says time and time again that the money doesn’t matter, and she will figure out a way to make the finances fall together. However, I jumped at the opportunity to help however I could – in the same fashion that she has helped my family for nearly three years now.

Your donations will aid Sandra in all the additional finances that she has taken on so willingly and selflessly. Specifically, donations will help provide necessities for her, and most importantly, Armani. Any money not needed at the present time will be put into a savings account to help pay for Armani’s education. Armani was a good student prior to this tragic event, and remarkably, she continues to keep her grades up under Sandra’s care.

Any donation you can offer is appreciated beyond words. Whether it’s a monetary donation, a service, sharing with your connections, and/or thoughts and prayers, it is all greatly appreciated.