CHESTER, Va. — Just 14 days before Shelby Guydan was to give birth, Virginia State Police knocked on the Chester mother's door to deliver life-altering news.
Her fiance, Derrick Carlisle, had been killed in a head-on collision on his way to work.
"I asked the state trooper to repeat what he said because I don’t think I actually comprehended what he had told me," Guydan said.
Friends, family, and strangers gathered Wednesday night to help raise money for Guydan.
"We came in honor of Derrick and to be here for Shelby," friend Caitlin Hudson said. "Financial support, emotional support, mental support, physical support. We’re here for it all."
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There were hugs from friends and donations from strangers.
“I saw it on Facebook and I said, oh my goodness, I have to go down there and I have to do something," Janet Glass said.
The event at Old Towne's Alibi in Petersburg raised nearly $5,000.
“The hugs and the people showing up meant more than anything," Guydan said.
"It shows that people still care in this community," Shelby's mom Tina Guydan said. "Everyone, especially in Old Towne, has been phenomenal.”
Family and friends have set up a GoFundMe to help offset some costs during this tragic time.
Guydan has also asked anyone with pictures of Derrick, especially during his time in the US Navy, to reach out and share them with her.
“He always made me laugh; he always made me smile," she said.
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