In Memoriam and In Support of Carolyn Tarpey's Son

UPDATE:
In loving memory of Carolyn Tarpey who passed away on March 27th, 2021 after a valiant battle against COVID-19 and cancer.  This Go Fund Me page will remain active as a memorial to Carolyn and in support of her 14-year-old son, Henry Aslan, the light of her life.  We love you so much, dear friend.  We will rise up for Henry where you no longer can. We will not let you down. Rest in Peace.  

https://www.greenwichtime.com/local/article/She-was-our-Mary-Poppins-Friends-mourn-16061884.php

https://www.greenwichtime.com/news/coronavirus/article/Community-rallies-to-help-Greenwich-mother-with-16021729.php 

https://connecticut.news12.com/greenwich-community-rallies-around-mother-battling-cancer-and-covid-19 

Carolyn’s Story: 

In December 2020, my dear friend Carolyn Tarpey was dealt a hand she never expected when she was diagnosed with esophageal cancer.  Just as her intensive chemotherapy and radiation treatments had begun, she contracted COVID pneumonia. For the past five weeks, Carolyn has been in Greenwich Hospital bravely battling both severe COVID pneumonia and cancer.  Her cancer treatments have been put on hold as she recovers from pneumonia, and will resume as soon as possible.  

A loving and devoted single mother to 14-year-old Henry, Carolyn has been unable to see her son due to Covid.  Carolyn has dedicated 14 years to loving and caring for Henry. They are extremely close. At this time, it is a very delicate situation for Henry. He misses his mom so much. He needs her. We don’t know when they can be together again.



Carolyn’s world is Henry. She is understandably worried, anxious and lonely.  But she and Henry are not alone.  Behind the scenes is a village of friends and family caring for Henry while Carolyn cannot carry the burden herself.  In addition to caring for her child, we have launched this Go Fund Me Initiative to ease Carolyn’s financial burden.  We feel that the only thing Carolyn needs to focus on is getting well and getting home to her son.

Ask anyone who knows Carolyn how they know her and how they came to love her. The stories all speak to the kind, compassionate, intuitive and loving woman Carolyn is.  She is adored and revered as a friend, daughter, sister, aunt and as a professional nanny for 35 years. She is well-known and loved by so many -- by families in Greenwich and Stamford, the Kazakh Adoption community, Kazapalooza, Eagle Hill, local school communities, including the families and all the children.

I join a host of family, friends, employers (present and past), school administrators, and others in our joint effort to show our love, gratitude and support for this incredible mother and son.

We thank everyone who is caring for Henry and those who are working together to do everything possible to speed and ensure Carolyn’s recovery. We embrace Henry and Carolyn equally. We believe that any support we can offer Carolyn and Henry can help ameliorate her stress and help facilitate her recovery.

Who I Am: 

My name is Joan Andrews and I have known Carolyn for 35 years.  Carolyn’s career as a professional nanny began with the care of my own children. I was a young mom when I was lucky enough to have Carolyn come into my life. Just 16 years old when she began working for me, she helped me raise my two young sons for the next seven years.  

When I became a single mom, Carolyn stayed on as our nanny. As a single parent I depended on her for everything: from guidance, love, knowledge and care to the selection of school, summer camp and after school programs. I slept very well knowing Carolyn was in charge. She worked around the clock and throughout the year for me.  Though I was much older than Carolyn when we met, she quickly became a mentor and friend to me. I will forever be grateful to her for the important foundation she provided for my sons. Today they are both thriving professionally and personally, with wonderful families of their own. 

Long after our professional relationship ended, Carolyn remained an important part of my life.  In 2007, twenty-one years after we first met, I was lucky enough to be one of several people who accompanied Carolyn to Kazakhstan to adopt her son.  Being there for Carolyn as she fulfilled her lifelong dream of becoming a mother was one of the most meaningful experiences of my life.  I spent two weeks with her in Central Asia, visiting the remote orphanage where she fell in love with the baby who would become her son.  Carolyn loved Henry from the moment she laid eyes on him.  



Anyone will tell you that Carolyn’s son is her life. They will also tell you that she adores and cherishes all the children for whom she cares.  The Beesons, a family she began caring for in 1998 and worked with for over 20 years, is a huge part of her life to this day.  She is loved like a second mom by their three children and a dear friend by the parents.  Carolyn works tirelessly to provide a world of love, care, fun, calm, security and well-being to children and their entire families.

It is now time for all of us to help Carolyn and Henry in their time of need.  


How We Can Help: 

Though medical co-payments are her greatest need at the moment, there will be other expenses ongoing until Carolyn is able to work again.  To date, there is a $9,000.00 co-pay.  However, this is before cancer radiation and chemotherapy treatments, esophageal cancer surgery and subsequent rehabilitation.  In addition, there are further needs arising from her battles with COVID.


Here is a list of the financial needs going forward:

Medical Insurance premiums and co-pays
Apartment Rent and Utilities
Counseling
At-Home Care
Food and Transportation
School and Program Tuition for Henry (co-pay)

Donations are non-discretionary so that funding can be prioritized for the most immediate day to day needs. 

We are hoping that Carolyn will be able to return to her job as a nanny. The family is holding the door open for her. They care deeply about Carolyn and are grateful for the care she has given to their toddler son.

Carolyn has challenges ahead of her, but they are not insurmountable.  As a team, let’s take one thing off her plate and,  relieving this huge financial burden, enable Carolyn to focus on healing. Thank you so much on behalf of Carolyn and Henry. 


****Thank you to the Eagle Hill School of Greenwich, Camp Playland of New Canaan and Jewish Family Services of Greenwich for your generous and continued support of both Carolyn and Henry.****


“One of the most important things you can do on this earth is to let people know they are not alone.” 

― Shannon L. Alder