I am a mother of three, a first responder, and a survivor of a long and painful chapter of my life. Several years ago, I made the difficult decision to leave an abusive marriage to protect myself and my children. Walking away was not simple — it meant starting over completely on my own, rebuilding our safety, and fighting through a long, drawn‑out legal battle that lasted four years.
During those four years, my ex‑husband repeatedly took me back to court, trying to change the circumstances that had been put in place to keep me and my children safe. Although I initially had legal representation and won in court, the constant litigation drained every financial resource I had. Over time, I spent $80,000 in legal fees — money I did not have, but money I had to find to protect my family.
Eventually, I could no longer afford a lawyer at all. I represented myself in court because I had no other choice. I studied Family Law through books and online and learned what I had to do. I did it while raising my children, while working full‑time helping others, and while trying to hold together the pieces of our new life.
To survive, I relied on high‑interest loans and credit cards. These were not used for luxuries — they were used for freedom, safety, and survival. Today, those debts remain, and the weight of them has become overwhelming.
I have worked overtime for years in a very stressful job, where days off for recovery and self care are important, all to keep up with these payments. But the physical and emotional toll has caught up with me. I am exhausted. My health is suffering. My time with my children — the very people I fought so hard to protect — is being taken away by the need to work more and more just to stay afloat. I cannot keep working overtime. I cannot keep sacrificing my well‑being to pay off debt that came from escaping abuse.
I am asking for help so I can finally close this chapter. I want to focus on being a mother, on serving my community as a first responder, and on rebuilding my own well‑being. Any support toward paying off these debts would give me the chance to breathe again, to be present with my children, and to move forward without the constant fear of falling behind.
Thank you for taking the time to read my story, and for considering helping me reclaim the stability and peace my family deserves.