January 2, 2018, my 14 year old son, Eythan Gonzalez, and his father, Patrick, passed away in a single vehicle accident at MM 25.5 on US Old 80 in Arlington, AZ. Eythan had a heart of gold and was known to tell many jokes just to make others laugh. He could tell when someone was down and would do whatever it took to help turn their frown upside down. He did not like to see others struggle or be do
wn on their luck. I admired that about Eythan. At the age of 10, he began doing yardwork, washing cars or small side jobs so he could earn money to contribute to those in need. After he passed, it was important to our family to keep his memory alive and continue to contribute to others in need like he did. After thinking about it and speaking with many of his closest friends, we came up with the idea to start a Memorial Scholarship in his honor. Along with this scholarship, I wanted to have a brand/logo made that represented him. This logo has been printed on hats, headbands, hair bows and car decals which can be seen on cars all around the USA. The trademarked brand represents Eythan’s initials (ECG) combined into one letter with an arrow on the left side. Additionally, I am currently in the process of setting up a Nonprofit Organization (501c3) in Eythan’s name. This will not only allow the brand to help more people and grow financially but also provide a tax write-off to those who would like to make a monetary donation. As a single parent, I have experienced the financial struggles one can have when more than one child in a household wants to play sports, attend school trips, or obtain unexpected fees during a school year. With the cost of living increasing each year and schools paying less financially, costs begin to add up making it much less affordable. This scholarship would provide money to students to help with educational and personal needs. For example, Eythan’s Scholarship can help students with school fees, school supplies, sports fees, or sports equipment. Commonly I present scholarships at 8th grade promotions and high school scholarship banquets. However, I’ve also paid registration fees for youth to be able to play recreational sports providing two athletes with necessary equipment. Each year my goal is to expand the scholarship to provide as much assistance as possible without a financial burden. To raise money, I began selling hats, decals, raffles, car washes and accepted monetary donations. As each year passes, I anticipate creating additional ways to raise money to grow funds. Since 2018, I have been able to present a total of over $4k in scholarships and look forward to that amount growing each year.
