Our names are Amina, Queesha, and Ensi Bird, and we're 17, 12, and 9 years old. We're the daughters of Deshawn Bird, also known as Deshawn Leeth, the man who was our whole world. Our father was taken from us in a heartbreaking tragedy, leaving us alone with a grief that feels too big for our hearts to carry. Our mother passed away years ago, and now, without our father, we have no one to guide us, protect us, or believe in our dreams. We're reaching out to you, a stranger who might feel the weight of our story, with a desperate plea: please help us keep our father’s legacy alive and give us a chance to build a future he’d be proud of.

In the devastating incident captured on video, our father wasn’t himself. We believe with every fiber of our being that it was a mix-up with his medication, combined with his anxiety, clouding his mind. He was a gentle, loving man who, even in his confusion, warned the officer he didn’t want to hurt him. But the officer, untrained and unprepared, escalated the situation, and now our father—our hero, our whole life—is gone. I, Amina replay that moment over and over, wishing someone had seen the man I knew: a devoted father, a tireless community leader, a light in the darkness. Instead, we're left with memories and an emptiness that words cannot describe.

Our father was the Executive Director of Underdawg Nation, dedicating his life to uplifting at-risk youth in Washtenaw, Wayne, and Macomb Counties, Michigan. He believed every kid deserved a second chance, a purpose, a future—just like he believed in us. He was a man of unshakable faith, always ready with a warm smile, a kind word, or a helping hand. He stood tall for those who felt invisible, mentored those who felt lost, and inspired everyone to be better. His love for God, for us, and for his community shone in everything he did. He was our protector, our mentor, our everything.

Now, we're alone. We learned about our father’s other family in the news, they didn’t know about us. We don’t want to add to their pain—they’re grieving too. We're just 3 teen girls trying to survive in a world that feels impossibly heavy. That’s why we've turned to you, with hope and fear in our hearts, asking for your help. Because we're too young to manage it ourselves, I’ve asked my special needs school bus driver from kindergarten—a kind soul who’s known me since I was little—to oversee this GiveSendGo campaign. Every dollar you give will help us get through the next few years until we're of high-school, and if possible, start college so we can carry on our father’s mission of service.

This GiveSendGo is more than a fundraiser—it’s a way to keep our father’s light burning. Your donations will help cover the overwhelming costs of his sudden passing and support the work he started at Underdawg Nation, ensuring his mission to empower youth lives on. But most of all, it’s a lifeline for us, 3 girls who've lost everything but refuse to let go of hope. We dream of making our father proud, of becoming someone who changes lives the way he did. But we can’t do it without you.

Please, don’t look away. Picture yourself at 17, 12, or 9 with no parents, no safety net, and a future that feels out of reach. Every dollar you give is a step toward healing, a vote for hope, a way to say our father’s life mattered. If you can’t donate, we understand—life is hard for so many. But if you can give, even a little, you’ll be telling us we're not alone. You’ll be giving us a chance to stand tall like our father did. You’ll be helping us prove that love and kindness can shine through even the darkest moments.

Thank you for reading our story. Thank you for praying for us, for loving us from afar, and for considering a gift that will change our life. Our father believed in second chances—please give us ours.

With all our hearts,

Amina Bird, Queesha Bird, Ensi Bird.