Support Rachel in Fulfilling Her Mom's Last Wish

My name is Rachel Craig and I’m a concert photographer & videographer in Knoxville, TN.

On October 23, 2024, I received news that my mom, Brenda Craig, had a possible heart attack during a doctor’s appointment. She was sent to the ER and passed away in the ambulance on the way there. She was 70 years old.

She’d never had any issues with her heart and she was in fair health, so this was shocking and unexpected. She had signed up to donate her body for medical research, aiming to eliminate any costs for me when she died (including cremation), but unfortunately, they couldn’t take her donation and now it’s up to me to make her arrangements.

Her wishes were to be cremated and have her ashes scattered in St. Augustine, FL, where we scattered my dad’s ashes almost exactly one year ago. He passed away in July 2023. That’s where they met and I consider it my second home.

Any funds raised here will help fund cremation and travel expenses so I can take her back to the place she always considered home. I’m also aiming to arrange a memorial brick or some other marker in her name, like the one we had made for my dad at the St. Augustine Lighthouse. My goal is to make this trip within the next month or two.

I know a lot of my friends really loved her and may want to help. I desperately hate asking anyone for money, but I don’t have the safety net of life insurance to cover the costs and I didn’t expect her anatomical donation to be denied.

I’m requesting privacy at this time, since my mom wanted her affairs handled privately by me. Please consider donating instead of sending flowers or gifts, or make a donation to a local animal shelter.

If extra funds become available to cover these expenses, I will refund everyone or adjust my goal.