Debbie Stevens, founder of the Facebook group Bay Ridge Animal Lovers, died March 15 at age 65.
The group finds safe homes for cats and dogs.
Stevens is survived by five children and five grandchildren.
According to her son Robert, she battled pulmonary fibrosis for more than 30 years while taking care of her special needs son Michael.
“She was a fierce animal advocate tending to many cats over the years and generally cared about underserved people and the neighborhood she was raised in: Bay Ridge,” Robert said. “She advocated for seniors, the poor, and would help anyone in need even though her own resources were limited.”
In 2019, Stevens helped Michael contact Alex Trebek after the “Jeopardy” host announced that he was suffering from pancreatic cancer.
She subsequently advocated for her late husband Ronald who suffered from colon cancer.
A visitation will be held Thursday from 2 to 5 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. at McLaughlin & Sons Funeral Home. A funeral Mass will be held Friday at 9:30 a.m. at Our Lady of Angels Church.
Stevens’ family created a GoFundMe page to raise money for various expenses. For more information, visit.gofundme.com/f/final-expenses-of-debbie-stevens.
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