This weekend reminded us of something we’ll never forget:

WE ARE NOT DOING THIS ALONE.

When we started planning this rummage sale fundraiser, we hoped it would allow COTA to help Sabrina. We didn’t anticipate was the overwhelming kindness, generosity, and support from our community.

What started as a two-day rummage sale quickly became so much more.

As we posted larger items on Facebook Marketplace to make room for incoming donations, people began showing up for Sabrina in ways we never expected. Some purchased an item and then made an additional donation to COTA after hearing her story. Others came to buy something and ended up donating items to the fundraiser themselves. Those Marketplace sales became an important part of this fundraiser and are included in our total.

People donated items. They baked. They volunteered. They shared posts. They stopped by to shop. They donated even when they couldn’t attend. Some traveled across the metro—and even from other states—to help make this COTA fundraiser possible.

One friend in Wisconsin even organized and hosted her own rummage sale, donating all of the proceeds to COTA for Sabrina’s Change of Heart.

Local businesses showed up, too. The owner of The Sunshine Factory purchased items from the fundraiser and generously donated gift cards that allowed us to provide lunch for our volunteers. AlyKat’s Bakery donated beautiful custom cookies that made our bake sale extra special.

A local radio host and some Twin Cities influencers shared Sabrina’s story with their audiences. We had people stop by and tell us they came specifically because they had seen those posts. It was incredible to see Sabrina’s story reach people we never would have connected with otherwise.

But some of the most meaningful gifts weren’t financial.

A family stopped by after following Sabrina’s story online. Their daughter received a heart transplant at age 9. I cried.

Another woman introduced herself and said, “I’m a heart warrior.” She told us about the surgeries she endured as a child and how she now lives a completely normal life with two healthy children of her own. I cried again.

In a journey that can sometimes feel so uncertain, those conversations were powerful reminders that there is hope.

Together, we raised more than $10,000 for COTA for Sabrina’s Change of Heart and earned the COTA Challenge Grant.

But the money isn’t what we’ll remember most. We’ll remember the conversations. The stories. The hugs. The volunteers who gave their time. The strangers who became supporters. The people who showed up for Sabrina in ways both big and small. And the reminder that our little girl is surrounded by a community that loves her and is cheering her on.

From the bottom of our hearts, thank you.

Thank you for believing in our little girl. Thank you for helping carry this burden. Thank you for being part of Sabrina’s story.

Alyssa, Kyle, Audie & Sabrina