For many of us, this holiday may feel like a resting point this year. Having survived such crazy events we take solace in the fact that we made it to a point of comfort during a storm. However not everyone has made it through unscathed, or without complete heartbreak. Sometimes things can happen that make even the strongest of us buckle in devastation.

On September 6th of this year, Stephanie’s family was devastated by the loss of her 5-month-old son Keenan. Having argued back and forth with doctors in California for over a month, she knew that something didn’t seem quite right. No matter how much her baby was eating, he didn’t seem to be gaining any weight or showing any sort of development. Much to Stephanie’s dismay, she was correct. As it turns out, Keenan was born with Menkes Syndrome. A disorder that affects the copper levels in the body. This can cause a failure to gain weight, and deterioration of the nervous system. There are steps to prevent the fallout, if it is caught within the first week of childbirth. Unfortunately for Stephanie, the doctors didn’t catch it until her little man was already 5 months old at which point the damage was irreversible. He was diagnosed with only three and a half months left to live. News that no parent can ever be prepared for.

The loss of a loved one is a feeling of dread that many may never understand. The loss of a child is a tragedy even worse. While there is nothing that can be done to make up for this unfortunate event, that doesn’t stop our amazing community from coming together to help one another in the healing process.

Thanks to our partnership with Wilson’s Chapel of the Roses, Keenan’s headstone will be completely covered.  DC Farmers Co-Op will be providing Stephanie with a gas card to help pay for Stephanie’s fuel expenses as she drives back and forth to Eugene seeing her four grievance counselors. Her family will also receive a gift card for Sherm’s Thunderbird Market to help keep the pantry and their bellies full for the holidays. As you can imagine, her 9-year-old son Emiliano and her 2-year-old daughter Penelope will be missing their little brother, so a big gift-card to Walmart for fun gifts can hopefully bring some joy to some children that certainly need it.

Stephanie our heart goes out to you and your family, the loss of a child is a tragedy that nobody should ever have to endure. We hope that in time your family can heal with the love of this wonderful community. Stay strong, it does get better with time.