Ashley Brown, a Registered Nurse of 13 years, painstakingly devoted single mother and brain surgery survivor is unlike any human I have ever met. She grew up in a family with deep Navy, Army and Marine roots. She spent a portion of her childhood on Naval Bases while her father served in the US Navy. Her Great Grandfather and his brother served in the US Army in WWI…both as Mess Sergeants and BOTH made it home alive. This amazing mother is a woman of integrity, honor and fearless perseverance. I suppose one would say it’s in her blood. As a Combat Veteran Marine that did one tour in Iraq…I can say this nurse is tough as nails and her fighting spirit would put some of our own to shame. I have so much respect for Ashley!

The fight in her soul to protect and raise her daughter to be even more fierce of a woman than herself is truly just short of superhuman. Ashley and her daughter Grace (we will refer to my little buddy by her middle name per request of her Lioness mother)…have been a huge part of my life for close to two years. I have watched Ashley battle the courts, be assaulted in front of little Grace, go back to court, be harassed, wrongfully accused of things that completely go against every inch of her moral fabric. I’ve watched Ashley be lied to, lied about…as though this is some strategic attempt to disabled this amazing mother….financially, mentally and physically in the thick of an unnecessary and nasty custody battle with the hopes that Ashley will throw her hands up and walk out of little Grace’s life. 

The hardest part is helplessly watching little Grace’s heart break and her happy bright spirit slowly dimming from the confusion of all the deceit. I’ve seen her cry as though her heart hurts so much that she experiences physical pain. I watch her come alive around Ashley then shrink into something much smaller and less authentic and free when she’s not with her “Mommy”. 

This has completely drained Ashley financially and the battle is far from over. We have to rally together and make sure my buddy Little Grace’s voice continues to be heard. We need to help this mother in this battle to shield her baby from any further confusion, mental torment and heartbreak. I am witnessing innocence being ripped from this child for what I can only assume is selfish gain. Help me make sure Grace doesn’t just get accepted as collateral damage. Ashley doesn’t have an ounce of quit in her…and limitless fight. She just needs to be supplied with the heavy artillery necessary to win this war. Ash won’t  ask for help but she needs our help and she deserves it.  Little Grace NEEDS US! 

Childhood is short so help me end this war with Godspeed so my fierce free spirited buddy can get back to being a kid!