03/16/2025
On March 6th, 2025—her birthday—my mom suffered an unimaginable loss when my dad passed away unexpectedly. Both of my parents had the flu, which led to pneumonia, and tragically, it took my dad from us. My mom is still sick and recovering while also facing the overwhelming reality of losing her husband of 52 years.
My dad handled all the household bills, and with his passing, my mom is now left with only her fixed social security income. While we are working on accessing available funds, there are immediate expenses that need to be covered. These include my dad’s cremation, gas, electricity, heating fuel, groceries, outstanding bills that I don’t want to let slip and hurt my mom’s credit, and other urgent ongoing medical costs for my mom including at-home medical equipment and a never-ending stream of medications.
We are most worried about the massive medical bills ahead. My mom had to go to the ER and spend a full day and night in the hospital, while my dad was in the ER twice, spent two days in the ICU, and had to be transported in a specialized ICU ambulance that had to drive at least 180 miles. The costs will be overwhelming, and early estimates suggest we could face medical bills of over $100,000. This adds an enormous burden on top of everything else we're going through.
My mom was my first skating buddy—she actually got blades before I did! We spent countless days skating together in a church parking lot in our neighborhood. Later, my dad joined in, and skating became something we all shared as a family. Even after I moved to California, my parents kept skating together for another decade.
Skating wasn’t just a hobby for them—it was part of who they were. They loved welcoming skaters into their home, first in Austin, Texas, and later in Vermont, where they opened their property for seven years to host the Vermont Blade and Camp. Skaters came from all over the U.S., Canada, and even as far as France. My dad absolutely loved chatting with everyone, and he was already looking forward to this summer’s camp—it was always a highlight for him.
Without my dad’s support, I wouldn’t have accomplished all that I did in blading. He helped me buy my first cameras to make Last Call, Urban Decay, and United Front, funded my travels for Last Call, and supported my move to California to work for Daily Bread. He and my mom flew out to San Diego for my premieres of Quatro, No One’s Children, and Steal This Video. When Rat Tail collapsed, my dad saved me from bankruptcy, and more recently, he was instrumental in helping me start Dream. He was so proud of how the brand was growing, loved the team, and was so excited about the incredible art from Peel and Beightol.
My dad was always there for me, for my mom, and for the skating community, he loved so much. His loss is heartbreaking, and I know how much he would appreciate any support in making sure my mom is taken care of during this incredibly difficult time.
If you can donate, any amount would be deeply appreciated. Your support will help us cover these immediate expenses and give my mom the stability she needs while we figure out the next steps. If you can’t donate, sharing this fundraiser would also mean the world to us.
Thank you so much for your kindness, generosity, and support during this heartbreaking time. ❤️
Donate to Help My Mom After the Sudden Loss of My Dad, organized by Jan Welch
My name is Jan Welch, and I’m raising funds for my mother, Bettina Welch, after … Jan Welch needs your support for Help My Mom After the Sudden Loss of My Dad
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