Fundraiser started for 4 North Shore children who lost both parents to illness within 7 months

A GoFundMe has raised more than $200,000 for four children in Topsfield who lost both of their parents this year.

Elaine Conley died on Oct. 26 after a lengthy battle with leukemia, the GoFundMe description said. Her husband, Scott, died suddenly in March of this year. The couple left behind four children to face the “unimaginable tragedy.”

“On the day Scott died, Elaine was in the hospital, preparing for a critical bone marrow transplant. Had she been any further along in treatment, she wouldn’t have been able to return home to grieve and be with family,” the description said. “It seems impossible now that only seven months later, we’re forced to say goodbye to her too.”

The GoFundMe asks for donations in lieu of flowers, to support the children’s future in the absence of their parents.

Two parents ‘leave a void’

Elaine, a Waltham native, was an occupational therapist who “adored” her children, her obituary read. 

“A dedicated, supportive “mama,” she was always found proudly cheering on her kids from the sidelines of every sports game and gymnastics meet,” her obituary said.

Scott was a detective with the Chelsea Police Department, who was an officer with the FBI’s Violent Gang Task Force in Boston, according to a police statement released after his death. Due to his work investigating transnational gang organizations, he testified in front of Congress in 2017, the statement said.

“We sincerely feel this tragic loss, and our thoughts and prayers are with Detective Conley’s family and loved ones during this difficult time,” the statement said. “Detective Conley’s presence will surely be missed.”

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Eva Levin is a general assignment co-op for Boston.com. She covers breaking and local news in Boston and beyond.

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