Hi, my name is Tashani but most of you know me as Shani, and I’m starting this fundraiser on behalf of my aunt and her daughter, my cousin (who’s more like my sister) —who is currently by her side through the most unimaginable nightmare.
On Friday, June 13th, our family’s world was turned upside down.
At around 1:30pm, my cousin received a call from her father with devastating news: her mother, my aunt, had collapsed and gone into cardiac arrest.
She was rushed by ambulance to Winter Haven Hospital and arrived in critical condition. She was in decompensated hypovolemic shock, septic shock, acute renal failure, and on the verge of death. Moments before she was to begin dialysis, her heart stopped.
She was without a pulse for 30 agonizing minutes.
By nothing short of a miracle, doctors were able to bring her back—but she remained in a coma, completely unresponsive. Her body was failing, kept alive only by machines. She was on full life support: a ventilator maxed out, powerful antibiotics, vasopressors, dialysis, and heavy sedation to keep her stable. Her doctors feared severe brain damage, and the family braced for the worst.
Against the odds, there were glimmers of hope. A CT scan showed no sign of brain injury, and her pupils began to respond. But her oxygen levels plummeted overnight, even with medical interventions. She was diagnosed with double pneumonia and was no longer able to oxygenate her own blood. Her condition rapidly worsened.
The hospital—despite trying everything—simply didn’t have the resources she desperately needed. Plans were made to airlift her to a larger facility, but weather conditions made it impossible. Instead, she was raced to St. Joseph’s Hospital in Tampa by ambulance, under lights and sirens, where a more specialized critical care team is now doing everything possible to keep her alive.
Her daughter, Sidney is only 25 years old. She’s a stay-at-home mom to two beautiful little girls, just 5 years and 10 months old, and a full-time EMT student. She dropped everything and drove four hours to be with her mom. Now, she’s stuck far from home, trying to survive on no sleep, no food, and no money. Her partner is working to keep things afloat, but they live paycheck to paycheck.
My uncle, her dad, is disabled, on a fixed income, and already drowning in stress and grief. This entire situation is beyond heartbreaking.
We are humbly asking for your help.
Your donation will go toward:
* Transportation costs for her daughter to remain by her side
* Basic living expenses while she’s away from home
* Support for her father, who is overwhelmed and financially struggling
* Potential medical bills and, if it comes to it, end-of-life arrangements
This is one of the hardest things we’ve ever faced. Our family is trying to hold on to hope, but the emotional and financial toll is staggering. If you can give anything, even a dollar, it would mean the world. If you can’t, we understand and would still be grateful for a share, a comment, or a prayer.
Please help us surround this family with love and support in this time of crisis.
Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.
