My wife and I had just moved into a new town back in 2018 for her job, and with my background as a high school/youth basketball coach and trainer (I have a masters degree from George Mason University in Sport Coaching), I knew I could easily find a job. After a very successful first two years, I was actually able to start up my own AAU basketball program, and we became nationally ranked after just one year. And in 2019, after trying for almost a year, my wife and I were blessed with the news that she was pregnant with our first child, with a due date of late March 2020, which is when we all know the world changed with Covid. And on March 26th, my son was born.
If you don’t already know, a youth basketball coach does not make much money at all (it helps pay utilities but that’s about it), but the enjoyment of helping and mentoring kids is what drives me. Unfortunately, due to Covid, I had to make the most difficult decision of my life, and step away from coaching in order to stay home to raise my baby while my wife continued to work full time. We didn’t want to send our baby to day care because of the risk, but we also couldn’t afford it. This past year raising a baby during a pandemic on only one income was extremely difficult, but we are making it work living paycheck to paycheck.
When I thought things couldn’t get more difficult, my mom had to undergo three surgeries on her gallbladder in the span of a month, and we just found out my dad has been diagnosed with prostate cancer and will need radiation treatment for 5 days a week for 5 weeks. He does not walk or drive because of spinal surgery back in 2008, and with my mom out of commission for a bit, I will be making many 2-hour drives to help take him to his radiation sessions. My parents are 68 and 69 years old, and both still work. I never thought I would have to worry about not being able to afford to provide for and help my own family.
I am looking for $2,500, but honestly, anything will help at this point. Thank you all so much for your time, consideration and generosity.
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