6/9/21 update: Thank you again to everyone who has pitched in so far to help Vetwife’s family get her great-granddaughter back. They were SO thrilled to be able to start “interviewing” lawyers on Monday, and are now (I think) settled on the lawyer they are going to move ahead with. I am sure Vetwife will keep us updated!
Thanks to your amazing generosity, we have raised almost $8,000 so far. I hate to ask folks to dig a bit deeper, but the truth is that if each person who donated so far can give just another fifteen bucks, it will put us OVER $10,000, and start Vetwife’s family off with plenty to cover the lawyer’s retainer and starting fees. Just $15 from everyone will get us there! (And new donors are deeply appreciated!!)
I’ve started us off with another $30 at https://www.gofundme.com/.... You can donate there or at https://www.paypal.com/.... (Paypal donations get to her bank account faster, so please use paypal if you can. Otherwise, use the gofundme link – they both work!)
If you can give just a little bit more, it will make all the difference! Thanks so much :-)
-- User Exists
Please donate to help Vetwife via GoFundMe HERE!!!
If you prefer paypal, donate here! (use the “family & friends” option)
a HUGE thank you (so far!) to:
WarrenS, bleedingblue, PitaRocks, Dixiecollie, Janesaunt, Serene1, JekyllnHyde, DannyB, raspberryberet, txdoubledd, Tamar, Amaze, entangle, katylizzy, Dynana, LightDancer, P Carey, Carmudgeon43, MissKT, WYgalinCali, HopefulEnigma90, bbctooman, Therese58, ZereldaLee1207, jpavany, swklmpc159, KiB, skyounkin, BeadLady, RUkidnme, ZenTrainer, njn2002, PJ the WB Lefty, shopkeeper, HarpPlayer, greenharper (lots of harpers! :-), Witgren, RainJustRain, filkertom, liza73, jaubreyroberts, FarWestGirl, Cal Worthington, FlaOrf, Onomastic, third Party please, kat herder, gardnerhill, Delta Overdue, elenacarlena, Lavendersblue, Matt Z, Jill, sprite716, itzadryheat, RtRhead, Ysmene, eeff, VineandFigTree, Portlaw, princessdecoco, OptimizerDad, whatGodmade, MistyRT, and SottoVoce.
(If I missed anyone, my apologies!)
Please donate to help Vetwife via GoFundMe HERE!!!
If you prefer paypal, donate here! (use the “family & friends” option)
Message from Vetwife:
To say this has been traumatic and exhausting for Vetwife and her family is an enormous understatement. She sent me this a while ago, though, and wanted me to post it for you all:
To all of those interested in what is in the best interest of a child and the love you have shown this family at this time is almost unimaginable. Thank you all for your help and encouragement. Thank you to everyone who understands we are all hurting but this pain is so hard, it is unbelievable. I am so emotional I can barely type or speak. I have to do all I can to help get this little girl away from this documented monster and back with her grandparents in Ga.
(((Hugs)))
Vetwife
Original Diary:
Here’s what I know about Vetwife: she’s passionate. She's outspoken. She’s occasionally impatient ;-)
She’s also been through — and helped friends, loved ones, and complete strangers through — a lot of trauma over her lifetime. And having just lost a beloved family member, her family has now been traumatized again.
I don’t want to get too deep into details because it’s not my story to tell, but the bare bones of it is that Vetwife’s great-granddaughter, after having just lost her mother in April, has been forcibly taken from her grandparents who have been caring for her and providing a stable living situation for many years, and has been put into the custody of her mother’s estranged husband who a) isn’t her father, b) hasn’t seen her in years, and c) just got out of prison and is still on parole. There is also some question about how safe he is to be around young girls.
There is NO WAY Vetwife’s family gets through this successfully without good, aggressive legal help. We are working on finding that help — but that caliber lawyer doesn’t come cheap. Not even close.
Under the best of circumstances, a legal situation like this can be ruinous to a family’s expenses — and Vetwife’s family just tapped out for a funeral and memorial service. They already don't have much left to work with.
I am setting up a GoFundMe with a goal of $20,000. At that, legal fees for this situation could well climb higher, but I’m hoping $20k will cover at least two-thirds of it. We ain’t none of us rich (at least I’m not, not by a long shot), but I’m starting it off with fifty bucks.
Please give what you can, and just as importantly, please link, email and twitter — I don’t do social media, and my personal reach is very limited. Here’s the direct link: https://gofund.me/2cf6e618.
I’ll try to get a direct paypal link as well, for those who’d rather paypal. If you’re willing to be a GoFundMe Team Member and help get the word out directly, please message me. And if you’re in a position to do a matching contribution, please let me know! I will post it as an update.
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Here’s one more thing I know about Vetwife: she won’t ask for help. I’ve never seen her do it — for others, yes, and for causes, but not for herself.
So I am.
Please help.
Please donate to help Vetwife via GoFundMe HERE!!!
If you prefer paypal, donate here! (use the “family & friends” option)
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Latest update will always be right at the top. Older updates are after the fold!
Update #1: A quick thank you to some of our gracious donors: P Carey, bleedingblue, PitaRocks, Serene1, and the ever-wonderful Anonymous! Because you guys are so amazing (and because I had a good day of Ebay sales yesterday), I’m tossing in another $50, too!
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Update #2: OMG, you guys are amazing! It’s been what? About two hours — and we are $510 short of being 10% to goal!!! I can’t wait till Vetwife gets on DK today and sees this. Thank you, everyone!
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Update #3: We are down to $220 to make the first 10% of goal! You guys ROCK!
Some folks are asking about paypal — I will get a paypal address up ASAP.
Now back — will catch up on comments asap — and Vetwife has finally joined us, below, yay! Thank you so much everyone!
Update #4: You guys continue to absolutely amaze. I got back from errands a little while ago, and we are at almost $3,000! Thank you so much. I didn’t know what to expect when I decided to do this — all I knew was that the situation was horrendous and Vetwife sounded so frantic, and I just really wanted to help. I set a big goal of $20,000, because this kind of custody battle can be hideously expensive, and in five hours we are almost 15% there, due entirely to you. Thank you so much.
Vetwife has finally gotten to join us briefly in the comments, yay! I'm not sure how much she's able to be on today, but I'm going to be here every bit as much as I can :-)
Update #5: We are allllmost 20% to goal, only six hours in! Can we make it to 30% before dinnertime??? You tell me!
Update #6: Guys, we are now just $340 $230 $217 short of being 25% to goal — with 45 minutes remaining till the 12 hour mark!! You all — and this place — are so amazing. We’ve got a long way to go yet, but there is every reason to hope that, with your help, we will be able to raise enough for a proper lawyer to get Vetwife’s great-granddaughter safely back home!
Update #7: The amazing Anonymous strikes again!
One generous benefactor just gave a donation of $217 — which puts us right at 25% of goal in the first 12 hours!
In a second, I want to list some (hopefully all, but guaranteed I’m going to miss a few) of the incredible Kossacks who have kicked off this fundraiser in such fine style — but first, I’m going to ask your help:
I’d really love to see us hit 30% of goal by midnight in California, but I’m not going to last that long — my bed (and kitties!) are calling, so:
- Please, if you are a member of a DK group that it would be appropriate to repost this diary to, that would be a big help. (Especially if it’s a group Vetwife belongs to, too!)
- If you have friends you know enjoy Vetwife’s writings, please email or message them and let them know about the fundraiser.
- Please post a comment (or four!) to help keep this fundraiser as visible as possible overnight. Pootie pics are wonderful, as are songs that cheer you up when you’re feeling down!
- Finally, for your entertainment, there is now a Pootie poll! Vote for your favorite pootie — and help Vetwife get her great-grand-daughter home!
Update #8 (Monday 6/7): Overnight angels have brought us to within $665 $440 $390 of reaching 30% of our goal!!! Said goal being to assemble a war chest for the legal battle to get Vetwife’s great-granddaughter safely back home to the folks who love her! It really is a horrible situation, and one that absolutely requires a really good lawyer. Please read further for details, and give what you can!
Also, in the color-me-totally-NOT-surprised category, the favorite color for Pooties, by a HUGE margin, is every color.
Finally, Vetwife posted a wonderful Christmas video from her family down in the comments. Please take a moment and enjoy it — and then donate if you possibly can to help get Brandy’s daughter back home and safe!
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Please donate to help Vetwife via GoFundMe HERE!!!
If you prefer paypal, donate here! (use the “family & friends” option)