The unthinkable happened

[Stick_man]

to my neighbor's son about a year ago. He was a LEO for one of the local agencies and had just gotten home after a long shift. While he was taking a shower, his 16 yr old daughter got home and went into his bedroom and got ahold of his handgun. She quickly put it to her head and ended her young life after who knows what happened during the day.

Shortly after that incident, he lost his job as LEO because she had used his issue gun. He and his wife had divorced about 8 yrs earlier, so he was the sole source of income for him and his 3 children.

He had been given a year to pay for the funeral expenses and has been unable to make the payments and keep food on the table for the remaining kids. Since he lost his job, he has not been able to get another one and has now sold off most of the few posessions he was left with after the divorce.

I just found out he has spent the last few days in the hospital with kidney issues and may soon be forced into a bankruptcy over the medical expenses (no insurance) and the remaining funeral expenses. Because he hasn't been working, he has been unable to secure even a small loan to buy himself some additional time. So far, my wife and I have given him over $3000 to pay off his past due rent (to keep him from getting evicted) and his parents have allowed his remaining kids to stay with them while he is in the hospital but their condo is too small for any kind of long-term arrangements. We are now to the point of digging into our kids' education fund to be able to help any more.

I guess what I am saying is I am now at a loss for helping out and am asking for thoughts and prayers for him. I will be taking inventory of what I have that I could part with and be offering up what I can as a benefit auction.

Sorry for the sob story and the public appeal. It is frustrating to me to see something like this happen to anybody.

[WILCO]

Sorry to hear of this Stick Man. His family should try to have a benefit for him. I wouldn't dip into your savings anymore as it appears you've done enough on his behalf. Keep us posted.

[Bret4207]

Wow, that's terrible. Thoughts and prayers enroute.

[jcwit]

Man, and some of the rest of us think we have issues at times.

Prayers for him and family.

[Simmonds]

I hate when young people end their lives this way...if they only could have held off a day or so they would probably be back on top of the world again. My prayers to that father and the family.

Chris

[smoked turkey]

Sad indeed. Prayers said for him and his terrible situation.

[x101airborne]

I would like to make a donation. Please PM me info.
Thoughts and prayers also.
Trey

[gray wolf]

This is an overwhelmingly sad story,
My Prayers have been offered.

Sam

[jmsj]

Stick man,
You are definitely a man of compassion for all that you have done for this family. This a very sad story.
My family will pray for your friends family and for yours.
Stick man we don't have much but my wife just read this post and would like our family to donate a little help towards your friend. PM us
jmsj

[lead-1]

Prayers sent. <><

[Stick_man]

Appreciate the support and prayers. We had a small yard sale on Saturday for Mike's benefit and were able to raise almost $500 to put toward the hospital bill. We have him caught up on his rent now and have April paid for and are going grocery shopping for him on Monday. At least he won't need to worry about having anything for his kids to eat or about losing the apartment.

I have been accepting donations in his behalf through my Paypal account. His parents have been astounded at the news of donations and are very grateful for any and all help.

Thanks again for the prayers and especially for the donations to help out. I am hoping that I will be able to get Mike on the forum sometime to thank you personally once things get smoothed out some.

God bless,
Stick_man

[303Guy]

That is so tragic! The loss of his daughter in such a way or in any way and then to suffer financial hardship on top of it and because of it!

I have nearly lost both my sons to suicide, the one with my own rifle (he couldn't put the bolt together - who knows what might have happened if he had). I too have lost everything to divorce and a wayward son. I too am in debt.

My deepest sympathies goes to your friend and my gratitude to you for your compassion. You are a good man, God bless you. Both of you.

[429421Cowboy]

I know what it's like to have hit rock bottom around age 16 and thank God every day i didn't end it then, i wish i could have talked to her before she tried anything. Thoughts, prayers and wishes to them as well as to you and your family, you are great people for sticking by him through it all.

[44man]

I pray for all with troubles.
But it seems kids are not as tough anymore. Too many mental problems that I blame society and schools for.
I was the fastest kid on earth when I was young. I got chased every day after school by 5 bullies larger then me. I laughed when they could not catch me.
One day I seen one of them on the street and had to jump in the air to reach him. I clocked him so hard he hit the ground. That ended the chasing.
Today, kids give up. In the old days you stayed on line or the teacher took you into the hall between classes and made you bend over to take a big paddle with holes in it in front of all other students. It made us tough, ready for a tough life. If my dad found out, I got it again at home. But teachers never sent notes home, they took care of it. Most if not all are gone now but I have respect for them.
Today, the kids can't do anything, teachers can't do anything and the family can't do anything. Kids are stuck with no help, no more paddles or belts. You can go to jail if you whip your kid.
The liberal society is causing so many to end their lives.
Stick_man, you have done all you can and I will never forget that. You need a medal!

[Stick_man]

Thanks for the prayers and wishes and donations. Mike is out of the hospital now (after about a week with kidney problems) and is doing better. I have put up a benefit auction of stick-on WWs that were going to be sold to another member here (but the sale has apparently fallen through). Proceeds will be going to him to cover some more of the expenses.

Thanks again

[shdwlkr]

stick man
I am sorry to hear this and I am also enjoying the benefits of divorce and losing almost everything to it.
I have a friend who is trying to help me get back on my feet and when he can will do what I never thought in this life I would have again. He is going to buy me a home that I can live in until I die. I would never be able to do this on my own again because of the divorce and what it did to me financially.
I will pray that things get better for you and your son.

[Alvarez Kelly]

Need info for donation. PM sent.

[Jamesconn]

A fellow JROTC cadet hung himself last week at my school he was 16 too.

PM me with donation information

[x101airborne]

I am sorry to hi-jack the thread, and mods can move or delete if it is an issue, but I must say.
I dont know hardly any of you personally other than maybe the occasional sale or phone call, but this thread (and MANY others like it) are why I do call us a family. In fact, better than family. I have seen too many members of my own family turn their backs on each other, and I have had it done to me, but yet WE all stick together. Someone on another thread emphatically posted that "We are definately not family". I disagree and wish that person well somewhere else. As for me, I will take care of me and mine (meaning the rest of my bretheren here).
Kinda makes me a little misty to see us pray and give together. Should everyone have friends like this.

[Stick_man]

I am sorry to hi-jack the thread, and mods can move or delete if it is an issue, but I must say.
I dont know hardly any of you personally other than maybe the occasional sale or phone call, but this thread (and MANY others like it) are why I do call us a family. In fact, better than family. I have seen too many members of my own family turn their backs on each other, and I have had it done to me, but yet WE all stick together. Someone on another thread emphatically posted that "We are definately not family". I disagree and wish that person well somewhere else. As for me, I will take care of me and mine (meaning the rest of my bretheren here).
Kinda makes me a little misty to see us pray and give together. Should everyone have friends like this.

I don't believe I could have said this any better or more accurately. Your statement echos my feelings exactly.

With the help from family (here), I believe we have Mike out of the danger zone for losing everything. The fund raising effort and the auction will go a long way toward relieving much of the financial stress he is under right now.

Thanks again to everybody that has helped in this. I couldn't have done it without your help but I surely would have tried.

[Stick_man]

I wanted to provide everybody an update on the situation. Mike had some kind of nasty infection in a kidney but fortunately the hospital stay was pretty short. I went and visited him on Saturday and he has good color once again and is doing pretty well. I was very pleased and proud to hand him a check for $500 from the contributions received here. He was speechless and very grateful. I figure it will buy him a little relief from the financial pressures he has been under. Sunday evening we sat down together and worked out a budget and a plan for getting his debt paid off. Fortunately his total "consumer" debt is below $10K. We haven't seen hospital bills yet, but they should be showing up very soon now. His May rent has already been covered and he has food in the house. It is truly amazing the difference in attitude and even in appearance now versus even a week ago. Hopefully, he'll be able to get a regular full time job again soon.

Thank you all for your generosity. I do believe he has been truly blessed and will soon be able to pull out of his situation and be all the stronger for it.