Help Ashley Rebuild Her Life After Tragedy:
Restoring Hope in the Face of Unfortunate Circumstances
In the face of unimaginable tragedy and a lifetime of relentless misfortune, Ashley Goldberg is in desperate need of our help. From the loss of her parents to a series of devastating health issues and the passing of her beloved husband just two years ago, Ashley’s life has been filled with hardships that seem insurmountable.
Our fundraiser campaign aims to change the trajectory of her story, providing the support she needs to make a move from Colorado to her Aunt Michelle’s house in Ottawa, KS, and help alleviate the financial burdens that weigh her down. Together, we can rewrite Ashley’s narrative, proving that compassion and generosity can triumph over the cruelest of circumstances. Join us in restoring hope and light to Ashley’s life today.
What Ashley needs today:
Financial assistance for moving expenses from Castle Rock, CO to Ottawa, KS, where her Aunt Michelle will take care of her. However, this will entail significant financial challenges.
Full Story:
Do you believe in karma? The idea that our actions determine our fate? For Ashley, it’s hard to believe in such cosmic justice. Her life has been marked by tragedy and misfortune, despite her kind heart and unwavering resilience. Now, Ashley needs our help to overcome the devastating blows fate has dealt her and rebuild her life from the ground up.
Ashley’s journey began in a tumultuous childhood, growing up in Colorado. While she experienced the joys of outdoor adventures and a loving mother, her father subjected her to regular abuse. The scars from those years would haunt her, but they couldn’t break her spirit.
At the tender age of 18, Ashley faced an unspeakable tragedy – her father took the life of her beloved mother before turning the gun on himself. In an instant, she and her 9-year-old brother became orphans, forever marked by the shared pain inflicted upon them.
Despite this unimaginable loss, Ashley remained remarkably strong. Her ability to confront trauma head-on and move forward with unwavering determination set her apart from others. But as the years went by, her streak of bad luck only intensified.
Time and again, Ashley found herself on the receiving end of unfortunate circumstances. From bizarre accidents that resulted in broken bones to recurring health issues due to a weakened immune system, she faced setback after setback. Her dreams of motherhood were dashed when she discovered she had PCOS, a condition that not only jeopardized her chances of having children but also exacerbated her health problems.
Throughout her struggles, Ashley never hesitated to share her journey with others. She bravely opened up about her reproductive challenges and health issues, hoping to raise awareness and connect with those facing similar battles. Little did she know that her now-former husband, in whom she had placed her trust and love, was betraying her with an affair.
The divorce was swift, plunging Ashley into a downward spiral of emotional and financial distress. Forced to sell their shared home just before the economic recession of 2008, she found herself locked out of the housing market when prices soared shortly after. Her health deteriorated further under the weight of stress, but she remained a pillar of strength for her loved ones, always offering a listening ear and unwavering support.
Then, as if by some miracle, Ashley met Danny. Their love story was a beacon of hope, a testament that maybe, just maybe, her luck was about to change. Danny was a genuinely good person, someone who cherished and protected Ashley with all his heart. They shared a deep love, and for a while, it seemed like the universe had finally aligned in her favor.
But life had other plans. Ashley’s health continued to decline, and she underwent a risky surgery to alleviate her PCOS symptoms. Tragically, the procedure resulted in severe damage to her lungs, leaving her reliant on oxygen tanks and confined to a wheelchair for the rest of her life. And just as she was navigating this new reality, the world was thrown into chaos by the COVID-19 pandemic.
However, it wasn’t the pandemic itself that dealt the final blow. A flu shot, intended to protect her, triggered a form of Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS), a condition with odds that only bad luck could defy. GBS left Ashley completely paralyzed, confined to a hospital bed for months while Danny tirelessly cared for their home and their beloved dog, Dino, all while trying to make ends meet.
Ashley fought valiantly and regained the use of her upper body, but her legs remained immobile. She now spends her days in a wheelchair, navigating a life she never could have imagined.
Through it all, Danny stood by her side, but tragically, his own health deteriorated. Stricken by total liver failure, he left this world, leaving Ashley devastated and alone.
Today, yet again, Ashley stands at a crossroads, facing a future filled with uncertainty. Ashley is unexpectedly losing her low-income housing as of the end of this month. And she can no longer afford to live in Colorado on her meager disability income. Currently, any legal action against the landlord would take several months to resolve, as well as money Ashley does not have. Ashley’s only choice is to move to a homeless shelter if she is not able to move here to Kansas so her Aunt Michelle can be her full-time caretaker. However, homeless shelter beds are ill-equipped to handle Ashley’s significant daily needs. As you can see from some of the pictures, Ashley needs to be transferred – with significant help – from her hospital bed, to the wheelchair, to the tub hoist, and then down into the tub, with the reverse process to get her out of the tub.
Ashley also needs special straps to be able to sit upright in a car, and any car she travels in requires several expensive modifications. Ashley needs essentially 24/7 support, and while Medicaid will pay for a daily provider, Ashley is on her own, alone, at night. And none of this is possible in a homeless shelter. There also are not any nursing homes that she can get into quickly enough…she would still be homeless for a few weeks. But her Aunt Michelle is willing to be her caregiver! Thank God for angels like Michelle Jones.
As you can see, Ashley needs our support to move from Colorado to Kansas, where she can be safe with her Aunt. But there are significant expenses that are being incurred to make this happen. The seemingly unending burdens of loss, grief, and ongoing medical expenses weigh heavily on her shoulders.
This is where we come in. We have the power to be the agents of change, to rally behind Ashley and restore hope in her life. Let’s show her that the kindness of strangers can outweigh the hardships she has endured. Together, we can ensure that Ashley doesn’t face her challenges alone.
Your donation will go directly towards helping Ashley’s Aunt Michelle drive to Colorado and move Ashley to Kansas on June 27. It will also help Michelle modify her house to ADA standards within the next 12 days. Additionally, Michelle needs help modifying her KIA Soul to be ADA accessible.
It’s costly to make a cross-country move anytime, much less when you’re dealing with such incredible medical issues. The U-Haul rental alone is $950. But your urgent donation will enable Michelle to drive to Colorado and bring Ashley back here with all her belongings, to a place of safety and comfort, where her needs will be taken care of.
Can you please help Ashley and Michelle defray the significant financial strain they both emergently face? If we can’t fundraise at least $15,000-20,000, it will be quite difficult to complete all that needs to happen. Let us be the karma that she deserves, the force that shows her that good things can happen to good people.
Join us in supporting Ashley on her journey towards healing and rebuilding. Your contribution, no matter the size, will make a tangible difference in her life. Together, we can rewrite her story, offering her the love, support, and security she so desperately needs.
Let’s be the light in Ashley’s darkest moments. Donate now and help us turn her tragic tale into one of hope, resilience, and triumph over adversity.
Thank you.
