A little seven-year-old girl named Ila had her jaw broken in three places on June 6. Her mom, a good friend of mine, could really use your help to meet expenses while Ila is receiving and recovering from special surgical treatment at a children's hospital in Chattanooga.
I'm John Kaiser, often known as JK. My good friend, Tamiah Holbrook, is the single mom of three daughters. Ila (pronounced EYE-lah) is her youngest. Tamiah works part-time and odd jobs to support her three kids and has no other support or sources of income. She also spends time daily caring for her father, a disabled veteran. You would find her to be one of the hardest working and most devoted mothers you would ever meet. Financially, she barely scrapes by, renting a single-wide trailer and paying the monthly bills for her family. Even so, she often takes the initiative to support others when they have a need. In the week or so before Ila's accident, for example, Tamiah provided transportation and sat by a friend in the hospital undergoing surgery. That's the kind of person she is. Now she's the one who needs help.
Here's how Ila was injured in Tamiah's own words:
"Ok my peeps, so I'm at TC Thompson [children's hospital] now with my lil Ila. She was at the skatepark with her sister and the goal post fell on top of her. She got a gash on her chin, knocked out two teeth, and has a broken jaw. She has broken her jaw in 3 places! The left back side where your jaw hinges (like TMJ) is completely broken, the right side in the same spot is broken but not too bad, then the front left side where your fang tooth is on the bottom--run your finger from that tooth to your jaw and it's broken there! Plastic surgeon won't touch it and the facial surgeon won't so they are waiting on the main doc in the morning to come in and go over and see if it's something this hospital can do. If not we are gonna have to go to Vanderbilt."
After further examination the decision was made to fly in surgeon/s from Atlanta for the operation and treatment she needs. This includes installing a plate and wiring her mouth shut. Ahead is over a month of recovery, physical therapy, and a liquid diet. Tamiah will need to miss work in order to care for her.
The lost wages and the expenses that Tamiah will incur to support Ila’s treatment and not lose her home in the process will create a serious hardship for her. I would like you to consider joining me and others who care for this family to alleviate that hardship by donating to this fundraising campaign. The full extent of the financial need remains to be seen, but at this stage we are setting a goal of $3,500. The money will be used for the following:
- One month’s rent
- One month’s utilities and regular bills
- One month’s food and other necessities for the family
- Non-covered costs of Ila’s treatment
- Other misc expenses related to the recovery
We’re not asking for a lot, but hitting or exceeding this modest goal will make a huge difference for Tamiah and Ila and the rest of her family. It will enable them not just to scrape by during this stressful time but also to have a little much-needed breathing room.
One of Tamiah’s part-time jobs is hosting two karaoke shows each week at Trish’s Sports Bar on Hwy 58 in Chattanooga. Her stage name is “DJ Sweet T.” She is a beloved figure in the karaoke scene in this area. I sing karaoke frequently and became her friend several years ago when she did the same thing at Ziggy’s Music Box, which used to be a popular spot on the Northshore. That’s how I know her and why I decided to start this fundraiser.
Hopefully, the karaoke community in particular will respond to this appeal and share the link far and wide to their family and friends. But whoever you are and how ever you hear about Ila's injury and this campaign, you have a chance to really do some good here for a child who truly deserves it.
Will you consider being a blessing to this little girl and her mom?
Whatever you can give will be much appreciated and well spent.
