My story begins over a year ago. I was in a toxic relationship with my daughter’s father. I had just lost my mom to her battle with cancer. We lost her home—my home—so we moved in with my child’s grandmother. My ex was heavily into drugs and overdosed weekly. I felt trapped. He and his mother left me at the house for weeks on end with no clean, drinkable water or way to store food. DSS stepped in and tried to take my daughter. I was so lost and didn’t know what to do.
Thankfully, my aunt let me stay in a camper in her backyard, and I’ve been trying to gather funds to buy a car and get my license back so I can get a job to take care of my daughter and myself. I have three older boys, and in ten years I’ve paid over 33 thousand dollars in child support. I still owe 14 thousand, and now I’ve lost my license completely and need to start over, but child support has me suspended. One simple choice changed my life forever—falling in love with my ex, who for ten years made me feel hopeless and helpless. His physical and mental abuse was extreme. I waited for him to see how much I loved him. Saving someone’s life repeatedly was incredibly difficult.
Anyway, I proved to the courts that I am a fit mother; I just needed some help and a break away from the child’s father to start anew. It’s been a year and a half, and he hasn’t helped me with anything regarding my daughter. He harasses me and blames me for taking my child to a new, safe, stable lifestyle. We have both become much stronger. My ex left me for my 20-year-old stepsister, who is full of drama and insecurities. Neither of them has made my life any easier. I left everything I had behind when I got away from him—not for lack of trying to recover our belongings, but they absolutely refused to give me anything. Memories and important paperwork—40 years gone in a blink. A year and a half later, my child’s father hasn’t once helped with child support and never showed up for court, so they actually dismissed my claims. So I get nothing. I’ve filed twice now.
It’s been so hard; I just need a chance to start over. I want a job, but I have no stable transportation to find one. So please, if anyone can help in any way, I will absolutely do my best to pay it forward eventually. Thank you for your time. Cash tag $taring222