Laura and Bob weren’t your typical parents, but they did believe that strength came in numbers. You can ask any of their nine children and they will agree! Laura homeschooled the children and Bob worked in radio as a production director.
As in many big families, when one child gets sick, they all get sick! Laura was seven months pregnant when the flu was going around and she was hit especially hard. After two trips to the emergency room, she was admitted to the hospital. Her condition rapidly declined and concerns about the baby increased. Baby Erinne was delivered early, but healthy, while Laura was in a medically induced coma. Laura fought for four weeks before the infection became too much for her body to handle and Laura passed away shortly after Erinne was born. Laura was only 38 years old.
The family was in shock. Not only did they have to figure out to how to face life without Laura, but in the midst of their grief and shock, also figure out how to pay for a funeral and cover the devastatingly large medical bills.
DREAM Fund immediately stepped in and covered funeral costs. DREAM Fund then set up a fund for directed donations and the media community stepped in to generously and overwhelmingly support the needs of the family. Their medical bills were covered and the remaining portion went toward purchasing a van that could hold all of the children.
Their lives were changed in an instant, but the family remained incredibly strong and leaned heavily on their faith. This media community kept this family believing in all that is good, and the family attributes its ability to move forward to the goodness of the community and to DREAM Fund.