I am sorry to have to ask for help from strangers, but I am at a loss and struggling to get my finances back in order. In February 2018, I retired from a public safety job, serving my community for 26 years. I did the job because I enjoyed helping people. Since I retired, I have had one unfortunate incident after another that has caused unavoidable debt. The first thing that happened was my father died unexpectedly, not 30 days after I retired, and we had so many plans to enjoy life and do things together that we could not do in the past. That was followed by a divorce, which was not so much the problem, but because of the divorce, I was hit with a considerable tax bill of $30,000.
After retiring, I started a new job selling equipment to the Government. When COVID hit, I stopped receiving a paycheck because I was 100% commission, and with the Government closed, they were not paying bills promptly. I went four months without a salary, and while I could get by on my pension, making my monthly bills became more challenging. I left that job due to finances, and the employer said they understood why I was going and would pay me on some of the contracts I completed before I left. That came out to a total of $48,000. That employer decided they would only pay me some of the promised commissions and, to this date, have yet to make good on their promise to pay me in full. I attempted to open my own business when I was not receiving a paycheck and was under the impression my employer would pay the commissions they owed me. When they refused, they left me at a loss with the $25,000 I had invested in the business I was trying to start.
During all of this, I was living in an apartment that I could afford when I was getting paid, but after four months of being unable to pay my rent, I had to move. I thought I had made arrangements to get out of my lease, but the apartment complex said they were not able to rent my apartment before the end of my lease, so I owed them the months the apartment was vacant, and that was just over $6,000, which is now going to collections.
I then tried to start fresh and would move to California and work for a friend running for elected office in CA. A week before I moved, he took his own life, which devastated me and many people who cared about him deeply but were unaware of his struggles. At that point, I was without a place to live, and I had friends help me get back on my feet with a place to stay. At this point, I had been unemployed for nine months and trying to get my finances under control while helping my children pay for college. I had to use credit cards for many bills and groceries because my pension paid for my major bills like my vehicle and student loans and my responsibilities with my children.
I have also struggled with PTSD from an incident where someone tried to take my life. During the height of COVID, I unfortunately realized that the person who had tried to take my life was living near my current residence. I discovered this when I ran into him intoxicated in a stairwell near my apartment. This event triggered many painful memories, and I have since learned from therapy that my PTSD probably influenced my spending habits. Fortunately, that person did not recognize me, so I was able to avoid him until I could move.
In the early fall of 2022, I contracted COVID while working outside Washington, DC. COVID affected me significantly, and I have been diagnosed with long-term COVID, which has led to cognitive decline, severe GI issues, high blood pressure, and severe insomnia. As my medication for my PTSD no longer works as well. I struggled for months, not realizing that I had long COVID, and was let go from that job because I was a probationary employee. I struggled to do my work daily, and while getting treatment, it was too late to hold onto my job. I am still trying to gain employment, but I can no longer hold a position where I can make the kind of salary I had made in the past.
This past May, I was starting to get things under control. I owned a Silverado 3500 and was going to work with a friend who opened a classic car transport company. I would start moving classic high-end cars around the country and maybe enjoy retirement while traveling for work. On May 4th, while in South Carolina, I was rear-ended by a charter bus that totaled my 3500 dually. I was not seriously hurt or killed in the high-speed collision (I was stopped in traffic) because my truck was so big. It would have been crushed if I had been in a smaller vehicle. My insurance company paid off the truck, which left me with very little money to buy a new vehicle, and I had to buy a car. I then lost the opportunity to work transporting classic vehicles with my truck. Most people would think I would get paid for the accident, but a church owned the bus that hit me, and they had minimum insurance coverage. Due to SC law, there is very little I can do. This accident caused more unexpected bills, which I had to put on a credit card.
I recently discovered that my mother, who is in a nursing home due to a stroke, has had her benefits cut, and I have to find a way to assist in paying for her care. I have worked with the state to improve her medical coverage, but I still have to find a way to pay off the $8,000 not covered. Once that is paid off, Medicaid will take care of her cost of care at the nursing home, but there is no assistance on the past due amounts that accrued during the lockdowns. I don’t know which way to turn now, and I do not want to declare bankruptcy, so I hope someone can help me. I only wish to pay off my debt to get my life back under control and enjoy my children and life as I continue this journey.
I know that many more people have it worse, and I know these issues are just a drop in the bucket compared to so many negative things in our world, but I will pay it forward and help others if I can get out from under the mess I am in. Thank you, and god bless anyone who at least takes the time to read this story. I am tired of the long sleepless nights and the crying behind the scenes because my children do not know how bad things are. The total needed is $66,000, but anything will help.
With the most profound feeling of gratitude, thank you in advance!
Mark White
https://paypal.me/MarkWhite1315?country.x=US&locale.x=en_US