The Lott Family

Mikayla Lott has a ton on her plate for someone who’s not yet 30. Her husband, Steven, died unexpectedly in June when his semi was hit head-on by another big rig. Suddenly, Mikayla, still reeling from the tragedy, is the sole parent to 2-year-old Steven Jr. and guardian to two of Steve’s older girls, Connie, who’s 15, and April, 14. While being the only breadwinner on a CNA’s salary is rough, trying to make sure each child receives the emotional support they need to get through this heartbreak is a bigger challenge. But somehow Mikayla pulls it off, picking up the pieces for her family while their house is literally crumbling around them — foundational issues plagued this house the family has outgrown, and Steve needed time to tackle the repairs in order to get the house on the market. Natalie Spencer and several others nominated Mikayla for her dedication to her family in the face of such difficulties. UBT knows how tough those first holidays without a loved one can be, and we want to add some much-needed sparkle to this family’s holiday.

Feeling the loss

Steve was an incredible father, and his passing has left a major hole in the family. He was home on most weekends and loved to be around his children, shopping with the girls and taking them out for ice cream. He and his son had what many describe as a sweet bond — Steven Jr. continues to talk about his dad, and carries on conversations with him. You can see their father in all the kids: April, the caretaker, loves to advocate for others; Connie is an amazing artist. Steven loves all things mechanical and really makes his presence known! There are two more to Steve’s brood: Eliza, 16, and Bently, 9, live elsewhere and are also really feeling the loss. All agree, Steve was an awesome dad.

Putting on your oxygen mask

Mikayla is just trying to process it all. It’s hard to deal with your own grief while making sure your kids are healthy and well-adjusted, but she tries, for their sake — it’s like on an airplane, where you are instructed to put on your oxygen mask before helping your children. Once it’s securely in place, she tries to create as many happy family moments as possible. Crafting, board games, and outings keep them all together and moving toward their new normal.

Thanks to generous donations from Lincoln Children’s Zoo and Lincoln Children’s Museum, the Lott family can have outings galore; additionally, Mākit Tākit donated supplies for endless crafting fun and UBT supplied a family night bundle full of games and activities to keep this household busy.

UBT outfitted the family with new clothes, including winter coats, and the girls will receive haircuts compliments of Studio Nine Six 11. Whitehead Oil and Super-C set the family up with gift cards to help decrease gas expenses.

To feather the family nest, the Lotts will receive new bedding and pillows, a HomeGoods basket full of household niceties and necessities, and a supply of organizational items, while Wendy Tridle of Organize by Design provided complimentary home organizing sessions.

We’re wishing the Lott family some magic this Christmas. It won’t be easy, but we hope we made it a bit brighter. Happy holidays, Lott family!