JOIN US IN OUR CAUSE FOR LAUGHTER

Widowed Grandmother Darlene has provided a wonderful, loving home for her pre-deceased daughter’s children, but there are some obstacles she cannot overcome on her own.

Let's help them!

Cause For Laughter proudly presents  "Let the Little Ones Breathe"      

This a story about two lovely girls Jozzie and Lyanna  and their need for a new home.  Unfortunately they can't  breathe in their current one as both girls have serious reparatory impairments.  Jozzie has asthma and Lyanna has cerebral palsy. Living in a house heated by wood is quite difficult for them, plus you have to be part Billy goat to get there and for one girl to maneuver within.     Due to Lyanna’s Cerebral Palsy, she cannot walk. The bedrooms and only bathroom in the house are on the second floor, so Lyanna has to crawl up the stairs to get to her room or to use the bathroom. The driveway is also dangerous, so much so that USPS, UPS and FedEx have all refused to deliver to the house.  Needless to say their current house is not adequate for a handicapped child or one with asthma.     The story is much more involved.  Here is a little history regarding why these two lovely girls are being raised by their dedicated grandmother, Darlene, who tragically is now their sole caretaker.      Darlene met her husband Rick (at the Disco at Sunday River) in 2002.  Darlene had two children of her own living with her at that time, but she and Rick were destined to be. She moved her family to Woodstock to live with Rick, he embraced her children as his own and enthusiastically helped raise them.      Eventually daughter Jennell got married and had a baby girl of her own, Jozzie, and a star was born. Fast forward 10 years; she plays football, baseball, soccer, dance, and does all of this while trying to handle her asthma.  Darlene is a very busy grandmother with all her activities, but wouldn’t consider having it any other way as Jozzie loves her activities and they give her much needed joy.     Lyanna, Jennell’s second daughter, was born at 29 weeks gestation in Florida.  She weighed just 2 lbs at birth. What a little warrior and princess she would become! When she was only 3 days old she had major surgery due to a brain bleed caused during birth which resulted in her having Cerebral Palsy causing dramatic life-long effects.      Long story short, Jennell realized Lyanna's father had no interest in raising children, so she moved back home to her loving mother and step-father Rick to raise her children and get back on her feet.     Jenelle was starting over and the girls were thriving in their current living situation. She found a job, bought a car and was making plans to move with the children into a home of their own. Tragically at this time she was diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer. She was a true fighter and gave it her all with radiation, chemo, brain surgery, and also a double mastectomy.  Despite her desire and heroic efforts to live, cancer took her from her family five months later on April 22, 2018.     One month later, Darlene and Rick were officially married on May 26th, 2018 after dating 17 years. After they married, they acquired guardianship of both Jozzie and Lyanna, as their father had no interest in the girls. Life was difficult and they mourned the loss of Janelle, but Darlene and Rick kept themselves and the girls moving forward and continued the girl’s activities. One afternoon Darlene took the girls to movies and returned home to hear Rick fall down the stairs. She immediately called 911, CPR was performed and unfortunately the girls witnessed the entire event. Rick was transported to the hospital and put on life support but the tough decision was made to turn it off on July 29 with the entire family there to say goodbye.     Needless to say Darlene, Jozzie and Lyanna have been through more than most of us can imagine. While Darlene has provided a wonderful, loving home for these girls, there are just some obstacles she cannot overcome. Both girls need a home that is not heated by wood since they are respiratory impared and Lyanna needs accessible accommodations to make her living situation adequate and comfortable due to her limitations.  They need all the help they can get to make a much needed transition to a new home and the opportunity to put their lives back together and grow and flourish as all children should be allowed to do.