Support for the Parker-Chestnut Family

COVID-19 has sent the world whirling with everyone having been affected one way or another. I recognize there are many in need during such a tumultuous time, but if you find yourself looking for people to help or a cause to support, may I tell you about my dear friends' struggle in what should be a celebratory time.

Ryan Parker & Shay Chestnut were married in 2017 and have created a beautiful life together. They share a common passion and love for movies, travel, food, and their adorable little pup, Lucy. After both graduating from BYU, Ryan began a career in digital marketing and has recently begun pursuing a shift towards UX design, while Shay has founded and built the online vintage clothing boutique, Elberta Vintage.   

After a couple of years, Ryan & Shay decided there was someone missing from their little family. The news of Shay's pregnancy in September of 2019 was very welcome and celebrated by all who knew and loved them. These two were going to be wonderful parents. 

Fast forward to March 2020: COVID-19 has officially been labeled a pandemic that is quickly spreading in the U.S., shutting down businesses and isolating individuals and families. Despite the stress and craziness of the world around them, Ryan & Shay prepped for and anticipated their sweet little girl's arrival. 

On March 21, Dorothy Daines Parker was born, instantly improving a world in chaos. Shay had been battling some high blood pressure levels that caused an early delivery, and little Dottie had a fever that required some monitoring before they could go home. But they were in good hands and blessed with this precious new addition. With COVID-19 all around, the precautionary measures dictated by the hospital prohibited any visitors during or after labor (and for 4-6 weeks after being discharged), making this birth story already a little different than most. 

On March 23, Ryan and Shay brought Dorothy home who was quickly visited by family members, albeit through their apartment's front window. It was this same very day, when everything should be about this new little family and finding your footing as new parents, that Ryan was informed he had been put on unpaid leave from work with no real guarantee that his job would be waiting for him when this outbreak settles.  

Their world had just been rocked. The damage caused by COVID-19 had finally affected them in a very real way. Though Shay's high blood pressure had stabilized enough to be discharged, it skyrocketed on March 25, causing her to be readmitted to the hospital for the next 32 hours. And with COVID-19 raging around them, 5-day-old Dorothy could not be with her parents (Shay's mom to the rescue!). 

With hospital bills accumulating, phototherapy and check-up costs for little Dottie's jaundice, no new income coming in, and limited resources around them thanks to COVID-19, Ryan & Shay are faced with the biggest challenge of their lives. What should be a momentous occasion for their family has been tainted by hardship and one piece of bad news after another. They are faced with stresses and difficulties they could have never imagined or fully prepared for. 

These are good, empathetic, kind-hearted people. They love fiercely...each other, of course, but also those closest to them. It's hard times for everyone, I know, but for those of us who can still give, who can lift someone up, any donation would be much appreciated to help them get through this rough time. Any funds raised will go directly to Ryan & Shay so that they may pay their rent, any hospital bills, or anything else they might need financially.

If you are able, please consider donating so that they can focus on their daughter and each other without having to worry as much about the unstable world around them. They would be forever grateful. 

Thank you for your generosity and God bless.