The Road to Recovery...

In the wake of my wife’s passing, people have been asking what they can do to help. I am overwhelmed by the love of support my family I have received just in the past 48 hours.

If you are local to the Charlotte, North Carolina area, I’m ask for your help as we get closer to her memorial here in the US. If you live in South Africa, I might ask for your help for a funeral service out there. Nothing has been finalized for the funeral yet as we are still making arrangements. We will announce more details about the US memorial very soon.

For now, here are a few ways you can help:

1. A dear friend of ours made a GoFundMe for us.

Much like our wedding seven years ago, the honoring of my wife will be taking place on two different continents at two different times. There are extraordinary costs associated with that. Also, after the services are over, the boys and I will be taking an extended time off to establish our new lives. You contributing gives us the space we need to do that as the two of them, ages 6 and 4, will especially need it. The GoFundMe is ongoing, and you can contribute at this link.

2. Food

The 11 days and 11 nights that I was in the hospital with Olga, some of you reached out and sent Uber eats gift cards. I can’t tell you how much of a blessing that was. The boys and I are staying at my parents house right now, so we are enjoying my mom‘s cooking, and thanks to the amazing Charlotte Jewish and Israeli community who loved my wife so very much, there is a meal and laundry train being organized for when we get back home. But obviously, these things can’t last forever.  something like UberEats gift cards would be amazing.  I was the cook in our marriage, so soon I’ll be cooking again. 🙏🏿

3. Your prayers

Please continue praying for me and the boys. We’ve both suffered a great loss, but theirs is much different than mine. Olga and I used to discuss the concept of potentially losing one another. We said that the other one would mourn, grieve, and eventually move forward, and maybe even remarry. But the children cannot simply go out and find another mom or dad. Though we are both grieving, I don’t know what it’s like to lose a mom at this age. Pray that G-d gives me wisdom as it will be just the three of us for the foreseeable future. Pray that we can mourn properly, and openly together. Pray that we can also be strong together when we need to be. Pray that the boys will still fulfill their destinies, and that God gives me the grace to continue guiding them in their mother’s absence.

One thing I do remember saying repeatedly while in the hospital with my wife was that “she will be on a long journey to recovery once we get back.”

I guess I wasn’t completely wrong. I am back, and there is a long journey to recovery to be walked, but it’s not hers. It’s ours.