A week ago, 11-year-old Kayden Ely experienced the devastating loss of his mother, Shannon Mount. Her unexpected passing didn’t just leave Kayden and his four siblings without their mom, it also left the family in dire financial straits.
Desperate to raise funds for his mom’s funeral, Kayden took to the streets of his small town in Georgia begging for help. For two days the heartbroken little boy stood next to the railroad tracks, holding a sign that read, “Please help me bury my mama!”
Grieving Boy’s Desperate Plea for Help
Kayden Ely says goodbye to his mom, Shannon Mount; Kayden Ely and his older brother raise funds for their mom’s funeral.
Facebook.com/Jennifer Fife
Shannon Mount, 45, went into cardiac arrest on July 8. Her boyfriend, Billy Upton, tried to save her, performing CPR on her until paramedics arrived and were able to revive her. After spending several days on life support, she passed away.
Without life insurance and unable to afford the astronomical bill of her 8 days in emergency care (never mind burial expenses) Kayden didn’t have the luxury of taking time to grieve his mom.
Instead, he made it his mission to give her a proper goodbye.
Armed with his homemade sign, Kayden spent hours standing on the side of the road, praying passing motorists would notice and want to help.
Not only did community members step up and come to his aid with donations, hugs, and prayers, but they also shared the young boy’s plight on social media and contacted local news stations to spread the word. They even joined him on the ground, helping him set up a hotdog stand to make more money.
But the small town giving didn’t stop there. An anonymous donor contacted the family, offering to pay for the cost of a burial plot, and several local businesses put out jars to collect spare change. The funeral home, Good Shepherd, also gave the family a significant discount.
GoFundMe Campaign Raises More Than 10x the Original Goal
Donate to Help 11 year old Kayden bury his mama, organized by Jennifer Grissom
Inspired by Kayden’s strength and determination to provide a resting place for his mom, Jennifer Grissom, his cousin and guardian, also launched a GoFundMe.
“Shannon did not have life insurance, she has an 11-year-old that is left without the only thing he ever knew,” Jennifer wrote on the page.
“He has been standing on [the] side of the road for 2 days with a sign to help bury his mama.”
She initially set a goal of $7,100, just enough to cover the costs of the funeral which can run upwards of $12,000 in some states.
But then the donations started pouring in. And that $7,100 quickly became $70,000. More than 1700 people have come forward to donate, all of them motivated by one singular thought: “No child should ever have to worry about paying for a funeral.”
Jennifer says she plans on using the extra funds to “make sure Kayden gets to do things children his age get to do; sports, camps, etc.” She’s also using it to buy him clothes, school supplies, and necessities, and start a college fund.
In an update on the page, she wrote, “Today we took him to Walmart so he could get a bed set and he got a few things he needed.”
Adding, “When we were leaving his aunt asked him, ‘Why are you so happy’ and he replied…’Me and mama didn’t have much money we were poor, and I didn’t get to go buy stuff like this’ and all this baby got was a bed set, toothbrush, pillows and pillow cases. He is so thankful. Thank y’all for making him smile.”
But most importantly, a grieving little boy is getting his wish. Shannon, who is described as a “straight shooter…who loved her kids fiercely” in her obituary, will be properly laid to rest at the end of the month.
Paying it Forward
Kayden Ely gives away free hot dogs and drinks.
Facebook.com/Jennifer Fife
To thank his community for their incredible support, Kayden decided to pay it forward.
He set up another hotdog stand, only this time instead of charging for the dogs and drinks, he gave them away for free; a fitting gesture of gratitude for an 11-year-old boy.
He also appeared in a brief Facebook video with Jennifer, thanking everyone for their donations and helping to get the word out to the community. But even more meaningful than the monetary support was the outpouring of emotional support.
“We want to thank everybody that stopped,” Jennifer said. “You know, there were some people who just wanted to give him a hug or some people that wanted to pray with him and tell him they’re sorry for his loss.”
“Some people stopped and just wanted to help us cook hot dogs. A man stopped and he helped us hold a sign. That means so much to us, it really does.”
Grief can be incredibly isolating and when you lose the most important person in your life, it’s even more so.
Kayden is only 11 years old, he shouldn’t have to know the devastating pain of loss. But having a supportive community will go a long way in making him feel a little less alone.
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