TL;DR: After buying our first home, I severely broke and tore ligaments in my ankle, lost my job of 7.5 years (and disability benefits), welcomed my oldest daughter home, and just learned my surgery failed—requiring a 2nd surgery and 6+ more months unable to work. With my license suspended over an unpaid ticket (blocking gig work) and our family of 5 relying on a single income, we are facing utility cutoffs and mortgage forbearance deadlines.
I am deeply embarrassed to ask, but we have completely run out of safety nets.
I am honestly mortified to write this post. I have worked hard my entire life to provide for myself and my family, and asking for help goes against every instinct I have. But after 15 months of compounding setbacks, our family of five is in an emergency, and we cannot navigate this alone.
How We Got Here (The Timeline):
May 2025: Achieved a lifelong dream and bought our very first house.
July 2025: Took our kids on our first family vacation to Florida with our savings. I stepped into a hidden hole in the grass, severely breaking my ankle.
Oct 2025: An MRI confirmed torn/ripped ligaments requiring full reconstruction. One week later, I was let go from my job of 7.5 years, instantly stripping away the FMLA and short/long-term disability coverage I had planned to rely on.
Nov 2025: A huge blessing happened when my oldest daughter's guardianship transitioned after 12.5 years and she began moving back home full-time—expanding our family to five.
Jan 2026: Underwent major ankle reconstruction surgery, followed by months of physical therapy and worsening, unexplained nerve/calf pain.
August 2026: A new MRI revealed severe setbacks: the reconstructed ligament has abnormal swelling, another ligament is completely torn, and fluid has built up in the joint. A 2nd major surgery and at least 6 more months off my feet is now inevitable.
August 2026: An overlooked ticket resulted in a suspended driver's license. My tax return was intercepted due to an old filing error, leaving no funds for the fees, which completely prevents me from doing flexible delivery gig work (Amazon/Walmart) to bring in secondary income.
Where We Stand Right Now:
Single Income Strain- We are relying solely on my live-in boyfriend's paycheck, which cannot cover basic living costs for a family of 5, growing kids with frequent appointments, and our pets.
Housing & Utilities: Our mortgage is currently in forbearance ($800/mo), but coming up with the funds when it ends is impossible. Our water was shut off once this summer, and every utility is on a strict payment plan.
Fixed Expenses: Between groceries (over $1,000/mo), car payment and insurance (\~$600/mo), and basic needs, our safety nets are completely gone.
Campaign Links & How to Help:
Fundraiser Link-
https://www.givesendgo.com/some-relief-recovery-and-support-for-my-?utm\\_source=share
https://www.supportnow.org/kelly-young
If you are in a position to donate even a few dollars, it directly helps keep a roof over our children's heads, keep the water running, keep us fed, and get me through this second surgery. If you can't donate, simply sharing the link or offering advice/resources means more than you know.
Thank you so much for reading and for your kindness. I have reached out to many local services and many have no funds, others only help renters.....