My name is Kylee. I’m 19 years old, a second year college student at the University of Connecticut, and I work as a line cook at TJ’s Burritos in East Granby. I’ve always taken pride in working hard, staying grounded, and holding my head high, even when life challenges me in ways I could never predict. I’m not writing this as someone seeking pity, I’m writing as someone who has endured, adapted, and continued to grow through hardship. I’m launching this fundraiser because I believe in building a future rooted in education, family, and resilience, and right now, I need help to keep that future within reach.

When I was three years old, I lost my mother to cancer. That loss shaped my life, but it didn’t break me. My grandmother stepped in with unwavering love and strength. She became my everything, my family, my foundation, my role model. She taught me how to be kind, independent, and strong. She also built a business from her passion, teaching children how to ride horses with compassion and confidence. Through it all, she gave freely to others, always showing up for those in need without ever asking for anything in return. She is a true Good Samaritan, selfless, generous, and filled with purpose.

Now, my grandmother is in the ICU, fighting a sudden and severe illness we believe came from a spider bite. She went from vibrant and active to critically ill over night. It’s hard to watch someone who’s always been your rock become the one who needs support. But even in this frightening moment, I remain hopeful and focused. Her recovery matters deeply, not just to me, but to every life she’s touched over the years.

Just a few months ago as we were returning from my uncle’s wedding, an event that should have been full of joy, we were met with even more devastating news. Two of our beloved horses had been electrocuted due to dead trees falling on power lines. These trees had been flagged for removal, yet Eversource failed to act. Now, not only have we lost animals who were like family to us, but my grandmother’s business, which those horses made possible, has been shattered. And despite the circumstances, we've been denied pretty much any compensation although we continue to fight for our justice.

The pain of losing our horses is more than financial, it’s deeply emotional. They were part of our family, part of our healing from every loss we’ve ever faced. And just like that, they’re gone too. I don't even have the words to fully explain how it felt to lose them. Many children including myself took their first steps toward self confidence on the backs of those animals. Losing them is painful in every way.

Despite all this, I continue to show up. I show up for work. I show up for school. I show up for my grandma. My job at Tis Burritos has been a rare light in the darkness. The love and support they’ve shown me has meant everything, more than they probably realize. But love and strength alone can’t pay for tuition, medical bills, or living costs.

This fundraiser is my way of saying I need help. I’m not giving up, but I can’t do this alone anymore.

This fundraiser is not a cry for pity, it’s a step toward rebuilding. I need help covering parts of my education so I can stay in school and continue working toward a degree that will help me give back. I need help covering my grandmother’s medical expenses, because she’s poured so much love into others and deserves the best care we can give her. And I need help simply surviving this incredibly difficult chapter, so that I can come out stronger on the other side.

I know I wouldn’t be the person I am today without everything I’ve been through. These challenges have shaped me into someone resilient, compassionate, and determined. I’ve faced loss, grief, and uncertainty, and I’ve kept going. I’m proud of that. I believe in the life I’m working to build, and I believe that with a little help, I can keep moving forward.

If you’ve ever had to be stronger than you felt, if you’ve ever kept going when things fell apart, then maybe you’ll understand my story. Maybe you'll see someone who isn’t asking for a handout, but for a hand to hold onto while she keeps climbing. Every donation, every share, every word of encouragement is a reminder that I’m not in this alone, and that means more than I can say.

Thank you for taking the time to read my story. Thank you for your support, your kindness, and your belief in me.

With gratitude and strength, Kylee