On what would have been my mother’s 60th birthday today, those familiar feelings of loss, regret, and guilt have come back in full force recently and I’m having trouble finding the right words to explain how I’m feeling.

When I was growing up, never did I imagine not having my mom with me through my entire adult life. I was 19 years old when she passed and there are so many things I wish I could have said to her and so many things I wish she could have been a part of. She never met my wonderful husband or her two beautiful nieces (my brother’s children). She also never got to see her four year old daughter grow up (my youngest sister whose now 19 years old).

The grief, regret, and guilt I feel never truly goes away, even after 15 years of her not being here. Those of you that have gone through this type of loss know what I’m talking about and that’s why I started this organization. I wanted to give students a chance to share their story with others who have gone through the same thing and offer some financial help as well. It’s hard to lose a parent no matter how they left us, but it’s a different kind of pain and grief when your parent dies from their addiction.

Now that I’ve gotten those feelings out, let me shift back to my mom’s 60th birthday. It’s a big milestone of course and if she was still with us I’d probably surprise her with a big party because she loved being with family and friends. I’d make sure it was themed to her favorite show Friends and have ample supply of Dr. Pepper. It would have been a special day, but I take comfort in knowing she’s no longer suffering from her addiction and she’s watching over us every day.

I also believe she would be very happy with all the special announcements we made over the last 5 months to honor her birthday. I’m so excited for this next chapter in the LMM Fund’s growth. We will be making a greater impact by providing more scholarships and opening it up to more students.

All of this would not be possible without the unwavering supporting from our donors. The Lisa Michelle Memorial Fund is 100% funded by individual and corporate donations. Knowing how much growth we have in the future and to celebrate Lisa today please consider our fund for your next tax deductible donation. Any amount helps us continue making a difference in the lives of students who have lost an immediate family member to substance abuse. Click here to donate

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Special Announcement #1:  We will start to offer a $1,000 scholarship for spring semesters as well as fall semesters. We will begin to accept submissions for Spring 2024 scholarships starting on August 1, 2023 with a deadline of November 30, 2023.

Special Announcement #2: We will now be open to those who have lost a parent or guardian, grandparent, sibling, or spouse to substance abuse. This will begin with the Spring 2024 scholarship.

Special Announcement #3: We will now be open to students who reside and/or are citizens of either the United States or Canada. This will begin with the Fall 2024 scholarship.

Special Announcement #4: We will now be able to offer scholarships to those US or Canada applicants attending a college, university, or trade school in another country (with some exclusions based on US sanctions at the time and the international school must have wire transfer capabilities for scholarships). This will begin with the Fall 2024 scholarship.

Special Announcement #5: We will be offering a 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place scholarship starting with the Fall 2024 semester. 1st place will still be $1,000, 2nd place $500, and 3rd place $250.

Special Announcement #6: We will be working on implementing an art contest scholarship for those in elementary, middle, and high school levels. This will be for students who have lost an immediate family member (parent, guardian, or sibling) to substance abuse and allow them to express their grief through art. We are aiming to complete the planning and implementation process by September 20, 2025 which will be the 10 year anniversary of the LMM Fund!

Happy 60th Birthday My Dearest Mother Lisa