May 4, 2026
Yesterday was amazing! Between the tickets, the auction and the bar, we raised $60,000!! We have an absolutely amazing community! Thank you all!I cannot thank all the volunteers and donors enough! We couldn't have done this without you! We showed this video yesterday - and I am sure many of you missed it. So here it is! I will post a second one soon!Thank you again - we really have a special community. So much to be grateful for todayKate & Jen
April 26, 2026
Hi All-As we prepare for our upcoming fundraiser at the Old Art Building (Sunday, May 3!), we want to ensure that supporting our cause is as seamless as possible. Beyond traditional cash contributions, there are other tax-efficient ways to make a lasting impact. Please consider the following options to maximize your contribution:1. Stock & Appreciated SecuritiesDonating publicly traded stock is one of the most tax-effective ways to give. By transferring appreciated securities directly to our organization, you can typically avoid capital gains tax while receiving a charitable deduction for the full fair market value of the shares. Please see the HHL Stock Donation form for transfer instructions. 2. Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCD)If you are 70½ or older, you can instruct your IRA custodian to make a distribution directly to our non-profit. This "QCD" counts toward your Required Minimum Distribution (RMD) for the year and is excluded from your taxable income, providing a significant tax advantage even if you do not itemize deductions.3. Donor Advised Funds (DAF)We gratefully accept grants from Donor Advised Funds. If you are recommending a grant through your DAF provider (such as Fidelity Charitable, Schwab Charitable, or BNY Mellon), please follow these specific instructions:Important Note: To ensure your gift is directed correctly, all DAF donations must be designated "In honor of Sebastian Alexander Smith" in the memo or grant description field.The address for QCD and DAF donations is as follows:Help Hope Live 2 Radnor Corporate Center, Suite 100100 Matsonford RoadRadnor, PA 19087
April 23, 2026
Hi All – several updates. 1. Insurance ended up not coming through for the extra 2 weeks. BUT, Craig hospital did come through! So they are there until April 30. After that, they are doing 2 weeks of outpatient at Craig. And then home! 2. Neck brace is off! Fantastic news! Will post photos!3. May 3 Benefit at the Old Art Building-we have some AMAZING items – here are just a few highlightsBeautiful house in Saint Andrews, Scotland for a week!Champagne brunch for 8 at Towne PlazaVIP Wine Tour and tasting with the fantastic Marti Johnson of Laugh Your Glass Off as your driver. Tour and taste with Coenraad Stassen of Brys Estate and then head over to Brengman’s for a VIP Tour and tasting therePrivate house concert with Elizabeth Landry and Sierra CassidyAND SO MUCH MORE!!! So get your tickets here – Lastly – don’t forget – we are on a 2-week match! If we raise $10,000, we have an amazing anonymous donor matching it with another $10,000! So – truly – every little bit counts. Your $40 donation is an $80 donation! So please donate today!
April 17, 2026
Hi Everyone-We have terrific news! We have a very generous donor that would like to kick off a matching campaign. This person is hoping to match every donation in the next few weeks up to $10,000!!! So that means that every donation in the next 2 weeks is matched - up to $10k - that means a total of $20,000 - which is so amazing! So please donate! Every little bit counts, even $20 because your $20 means a total of $40. And check with your employer for a match from them - the donations are now with a 501C3, so they are tax-deductible.Things seem to be going really well at Craig Hospital. So many classes for everyone involved in his care, and so much progress with PT/OT. Here is a quick video - he is working on his use of a manual chair. He still needs the electric - but this is fantastic progress!Please share this news & this campaign site!!!
April 9, 2026
Great news! Priority of Michigan has ok'd the appeal for Sebastian to stay longer. He now has until April 30th!
April 6, 2026
New from Holly & everyone in CO:We are currently waiting to hear back from the insurance company. The doctor, case worker, and the entire care team here are strongly advocating for Sebastian to receive more time. They all agree that the 45 days approved for his recovery is simply not enough. At this point, he is not ready to be discharged or to live independently.We have requested an extension of his inpatient stay, as well as consideration for transitioning into outpatient care here at Craig. For now, everything is in the hands of Priority Health of Michigan.On the positive side, Sebastian is gaining more movement in his arms. His hands have not yet improved—he currently has wrist movement but no finger movement. He continues to work incredibly hard to build upper body strength. However, he still lacks core control and triceps strength, which means he cannot sit up on his own, balance in a seated position without assistance, or help with transfers.For example, a slide board can be used instead of a harness to move him from the bed to a wheelchair or between chairs. The goal is for him to build enough upper body strength to eventually assist with these movements, but he is not there yet.We were able to take him out to a restaurant last night—his first big outing in public—which was a huge milestone. It was a wonderful experience, and we all really enjoyed sharing that moment with him. He also spent three evenings this week at the apartment with us, enjoying takeout meals together. It felt great to get together outside of the hospital room.His spirits were noticeably lifted this week. Having his dad, Matt Larson, and Emjo here all week—learning how to support him, attending many of his therapy sessions and spending quality time together—brought a real sense of normalcy, laughter, and connection that meant a lot to all of us.
