Angel Armies

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At Jane’s Fund, we believe that when a child is dying of cancer, it is often unexpected friends—and even strangers—who show up to light the path forward.

Typically, Jane’s Fund does this quietly, remaining anonymous when sharing hope and help. A child’s hospital social worker delivers the good news: a mortgage paid, a car payment covered, a financial burden lifted. We intentionally stay in the background so grieving parents and families never feel they owe a thank-you while navigating the pain of losing a child.

But for the Duval family, nothing unfolded the “typical” way.

Shortly after Christmas 2023, 17-year-old Gaby was dying from a rare muscle-and-bone cancer called rhabdomyosarcoma. Jane’s Fund felt an urgent call to act—and paid off the family’s home mortgage. A friend quietly covered the house in hearts, and Emily, Gaby’s hospital social worker, shared the surprise.

When Gaby learned that her family would be financially secure, she smiled. She passed away shortly after at a hospice house, knowing her parents and siblings would be okay.

After Gaby’s death, the Duval family sought out Jane’s Fund—insisting on meeting us, thanking us, sharing Gaby’s story, and helping other families walking the same road. Parents Manuel and Claribel (“Clary”), along with Gaby’s three siblings—from the oldest working in healthcare in Charlotte to the youngest still in middle school—became advocates and friends for life.

Bound together by the shared loss of 17-year-old daughters, Gaby’s mother, Clary, sent Jane’s Fund countless messages of hope and encouragement as she began her own fight with metastatic breast cancer.

Recently, the Duvals were rear-ended while driving to a doctor’s appointment. Soon after, Clary learned there are no remaining treatment options. Less than three years after losing Gaby, the Duvals are now hoping simply to spend one more Christmas together.

Jane’s Fund could not allow Clary to be without reliable transportation—to drain fluid from her lungs, to receive palliative care, and to keep showing up for the moments that still matter. Once again, this community made a miracle possible by providing the Duval family with a car. 

Forever walking life together, Jane’s Fund and the Duval family thank every stranger, friend, and supporter who made this Christmas miracle possible. 

*Names and photos may be changed to protect a family's privacy.