Mother of Murdered Transgender Teen

My name is Sylvia Guerrero, I  am the mother of Gwen Araujo (17) who was brutally murdered on October 4, 2002. My daughter was transgender and our case was a high profile case. Lifetime produced a movie entitled, A Girl Like Me, The Gwen Araujo Story. She went to a party on October 3, 2002, in Newark, California where we lived at the time and never came home. She was severely beaten for hours in the early morning hours of October 4th, gagged, bound, strangled and hit over the head with an alleged soup can which caused blunt trauma to the head. Then she was placed in the back of a pick up truck and buried in the Sierra foothills in Kyburz, California. Her body was found two weeks after her death. Due to my severe PTSD I have been disabled since her death and had been receiving Social Security Disability benefits. As of June of this year I lost my benefits due to the denial to my Appeal. Not only have my benefits stopped but my Medicare as well. I was not prepared for this to happen to me. I reapplied for benefits in August of this year but have yet to receive any monies. My car got repossessed in October and I have been struggling to say the least. I am receiving Food Stamps every month but it's only $195. I have my daughter Gwen's and my belongings in a storage which is $129 a month. I have been borrowing money to keep a float but I'm drowning....Since January of this year I have been staying with two of my children going back and forth. I live out of bags and boxes. I am Christian and my faith is what has carried me thru.....the pain will never go away and my life has changed forever. I am out of options at this point and am desperately seeking financial help. Of course, I am also asking for prayer thru this difficult time. In addition to my PTSD I have been diagnosed with both celiac disease and rheumatoid arthritis. I have been suffering since June because I haven't had my meds nor have I seen my doctors. I need to buy a used car so that I can take care of the things that are VITAL for my survival. I hope and pray that God will weigh it on your heart to help me. I am a giver and when I made great money working for lawyers prior to my daughter's death i always gave to people in need. It hurts me to know that so many people who claimed to love and care for me would turn their backs on me when I need them the most. Thank you for reading this and may God bless you not just today but everyday.