Hello, compassionate friends, family, and caring strangers,

My name is Mandy, and I’m sharing our story from the heart, hoping your kindness can help us take the next crucial step in our healing and rebuilding. For 24 years, I was trapped in an extremely abusive marriage to a narcissistic man whose control was suffocating and dangerous. He wielded emotional manipulation, gaslighting, verbal cruelty, and physical intimidation to dismantle my confidence, isolate me from support, and make escape seem impossible. He convinced me I was nothing without him, controlled every dollar, and instilled terror that kept me frozen in place. I endured it far too long—trying desperately to protect our children and holding onto the false hope of change that never came.

His instability spiraled into full-blown psychosis: he became obsessed with extreme religious delusions, believing he was on a divine mission, and began making explicit, unhinged threats against government agencies, police departments, and anyone he saw as opposing him. His paranoia and volatility became a public safety issue, and that’s when the law finally stepped in—arresting him and sending him to jail on those serious threat-related charges. Only in that moment of his incarceration was I able to break free with our kids and flee the nightmare.

Freedom came at an enormous price: he left us buried under massive debt (much of it fraudulently or recklessly placed in my name), zero savings, and profound trauma—PTSD, anxiety, nightmares, shattered trust, and the ongoing work of therapy for all of us. We’ve been fighting every day to climb out of that darkness.

Horses emerged as our lifeline and light. During those trapped years, being around horses was my one source of peace— their gentle, non-judgmental presence helped me breathe and feel grounded when life felt unbearable. Equine therapy became essential to my survival, and now it’s transforming our family. We’re building a small equine business in Montana: offering riding lessons for beginners (especially children and trauma survivors), professional horse training, and a careful breeding program focused on calm, therapeutic breeds. This is our therapy, our purpose, and our future. The horses help us heal in ways words can’t; watching my kids grow confident leading a lesson or tending to a foal fills me with more hope than I’ve felt in decades. We’ve started welcoming clients, and the joy and breakthroughs we’re seeing—for them and for us—are everything.

But our progress hit a critical snag: our only vehicle—the essential truck we use to haul hay and feed, trailer horses to the vet or farrier, tow equipment for lessons, and manage all the heavy demands of a rural equine operation—has broken down entirely. Major transmission and engine issues mean expensive repairs or the need for a reliable replacement capable of heavy towing and farm work. Without dependable transportation in Montana’s wide-open spaces, lessons are on hold, supplies are difficult to transport, breeding timelines stall, and our fragile momentum is threatened. As a single mom already stretched by debt payments, therapy costs, and daily survival, I can’t cover this alone.

We’re humbly asking for your help to keep our healing journey and business alive. Your donations will go directly toward repairing our current truck or purchasing a dependable used heavy-duty one suited for equine and farm needs (estimated goal: $10,000–$15,000, based on current market prices for reliable towing-capable trucks). Every contribution, share, or word of encouragement gets us back on the road and allows us to continue offering this safe, transformative space to others.

If you’ve ever escaped abuse, found unexpected healing through animals, or believe in supporting survivors as they rebuild—one step, one hoofbeat at a time—you know how profoundly this matters. Thank you for taking the time to read our story, for your empathy, and for any support you can give. We’re rising stronger together.

With deepest gratitude and hope,

Mandy (and my brave kids & healing herd)

Montana