In memory of Emma
This entire endeavor is dedicated to the memory of my beloved late wife, Emma, who tragically passed away from a brain aneurysm in 2019 at the tender age of 25
Fundraising in memory of Emma
This entire endeavor is dedicated to the memory of my beloved late wife, Emma, who tragically passed away from a brain aneurysm in 2019 at the tender age of 25. Emma and I were high school sweethearts, and we cherished our cozy, happy, and nerdy moments together. We tied the knot at the age of 23, and our weekends were often filled with joyous Dungeons and Dragons sessions with friends. However, Emma frequently endured migraines and severe headaches. Her resilience and stubbornness led her to soldier through the pain without much concern. In our youth and happiness, we didn't pay much attention to these episodes.
One fateful April night in 2019, while gathered around a campfire with our friends, Emma suddenly sat up in her chair and uttered a concerned question before experiencing a seizure. Alarmed, we immediately dialed 911, and she was swiftly rushed to the hospital. Unfortunately, due to a lockdown, we were kept in the dark regarding Emma's condition for over two and a half hours. Eventually, we were ushered into a room where the doctors delivered devastating news – Emma had suffered a ruptured brain aneurysm larger than any they had ever encountered. She was pronounced dead on arrival. In the months that followed, our friends, family, and local community extended their unwavering support, yet I remained deeply affected by her loss for a long time.
Dungeons & Dragons and what it has meant to us
To cope with the grief, I sought solace in activities that once brought us immense happiness, and Dungeons and Dragons was one such pastime that consumed our days. Dungeons and Dragons (DND) is a fantasy tabletop role playing game that involves collaborative storytelling, creativity, and teamwork between friends. Emma and I loved playing this together for years, and created our own special world with characters, countries, politics, and magical creatures all unique to us. DND is an amazing creative outlet, and allows for imagination to run wild and flow between friends. Emma was always enthusiastic to share and critique ideas with me about the world we built together.
Through this journey, I connected with new friends who shared our same interests. When the pandemic struck, we adapted to the circumstances and launched our online Dungeons and Dragons game, known as the Tealeaf Adventuring Company. This game served as a tribute to Emma's memory, incorporating the characters and locations we had lovingly created together and allows us to relish in the magic that we once shared while she was alive. Specifically, many of the characters that Emma created and role played as herself can be kept alive, and I do my best to emulate Emma’s spirit when portraying these characters in our games. In a way, it’s a chance for people who never had the privilege to meet Emma to interact with a small part of her.
Supporting a charity
When contemplating which cause to support, we were drawn to SameYou's mission of championing the treatment and stories of survivors, as well as advancing research to better comprehend these tragic injuries, their underlying science, and raising awareness.
The fundraising event we organised consisted of a live-streamed Dungeons and Dragons campaign that took place on Twitch. We organized an exciting player vs player tournament to raise funds for SameYou, a cause we deeply care about. To facilitate donations and keep track of the total amount earned by our community, the Tealeaf Adventuring Company accepted contributions through PayPal on our Twitch account. Initially, this event was meant to be a one-night affair, but due to its overwhelming success, we decided to extend it to three Thursdays. Once the fundraising drive concluded, we transferred the proceeds to SameYou.
Seeing the Tealeaf Adventuring Company community coming together in support of Emma’s memory was a truly magical moment. DND is a beautiful game and means many different things to many different people. The Tealeaf Adventuring Company has been an amazing part of my personal healing process, and I know that Emma would be proud to see how it has grown over the years. I wanted to continue to use this magic for good in supporting a cause that is very near and dear to my heart.
https://www.facebook.com/thegameroom.tv/ https://www.youtube.com/@TealeafAdventuringCo
https://www.instagram.com/tealeafadventuringcompany/
Take action today
Don't wait any longer, start planning your workplace fundraiser now. Get your colleagues and the management on board and make a difference.
By supporting SameYou you can help raise awareness of brain injury and help close the important rehabilitation and emotional support gap that survivors and their family experience during recovery.