Widowed Mother in Need

My friend Sonja Bauman suffered the worst tragedy to befall a mother and spouse; her fiancé, Rafael Delgado, passed away suddenly and unexpectedly from an unknown medical emergency on his 37th birthday, November 19, 2022. While she grieves the loss of the man she was with for 14 1/2 years, she’s faced with the real-life hardship of being thrown into a one-income household with her 7-year-old daughter, Sofia.

Rafael and Sonja met while working at Macy’s, and they formed a family welcoming Sofia in 2015. He loved his girls and was part of their glue. Providing financially, cooking, and being there for Sonja while she goes to the hospital every six weeks for her Crohn’s medication. His loss is felt in so many ways by their family.

Everyone who knows Sonja knows she is one of the kindest and most loyal people you can meet. She is fiercely loving and protective of Sofia, with a strong bond beyond words. Her future is uncertain now, and she needs help maintaining normalcy and consistency for her special needs daughter. We are asking for assistance through this hard time and the ability to let her get on her feet and adapt to this new life she is faced with. Rent prices are through the roof in Florida; rising grocery costs, gas prices, and insurance rates have all gone up. Handling those costs on a one-income household with no forewarning is beyond difficult for anyone. Anything will help. Thank you for supporting one of the best women I know through her most challenging times.