In the small town of Lindale, Georgia, 11-year-old Kayden Ely was seen standing beside railroad tracks with a heart-wrenching sign: “Please help bury my Mama!” The sign was a desperate plea for assistance following the sudden death of his mother, Shannon Mount, 45.
Shannon Mount went into cardiac arrest at her home on July 8. Her boyfriend, Billy Upton, performed CPR until paramedics arrived and revived her. Despite their efforts, Mount’s condition deteriorated, and she was placed on life support, ultimately passing away on July 18.
Community rallies in support
Mount’s untimely death left her without life insurance, placing the financial burden of her funeral on her young son. Kayden’s public plea for help did not go unnoticed. Moved by his plight, community members joined him by the tracks, selling hot dogs and drinks to raise money. In a remarkable act of kindness, an anonymous donor provided a burial plot, while others contributed to cover funeral home expenses.
Crowdfunding success
A crowdfunding page set up by Mount’s cousin, Jennifer Fife, initially aimed to raise $7,000. The campaign quickly surpassed this goal, accumulating $23,000. Fife announced that the additional funds would be used for Kayden’s college education, ensuring a more secure future for the young boy.
Shannon Mount, a mother of five and grandmother of one, is remembered as a “straight shooter” who deeply cared for her friends and family. Her family described her as someone who “didn’t sugarcoat anything” and “loved her kids fiercely.” Despite life’s challenges, she always tried her best.
A loving legacy
Shannon Mount’s funeral is scheduled for July 27 at the Good Shepherd Funeral Home chapel. She leaves behind her sons, Chance Smith, Austin Ross, and Kayden Ely, her daughters, Tabitha Ross and Destiny Ross, and her grandchild, Kolton Turpin. Her legacy of love and resilience lives on in her children and grandchild.
