The McCarthy Family Needs a Home
Donation protected
Hello Friends and Fellow Do-Gooders!
My name is Shannon AhYou, and I have set this up to hopefully bring some relief to a family that really needs it right now.
My Uncle Dan is a hardworking, single-father of 4 amazing kids. He is a proud family man, who likes to keep a low profile, so hopefully he will forgive me for sharing this story, but I just cannot sit idle any longer!
I am 32 years old and have known Dan my entire life. For the greater part of my childhood, Dan lived 2 blocks away from me. His door was always open, if I needed to vent or sought advice, a place to have movie nights with the cousins, or to get my fix of Duck Hunter on Nintendo. He was the first in line to support any school fundraiser I was working on, and a great help to my family when we first moved to Detroit. Dan has always been a hero to me, and someone I have looked up to my whole life.
He married a woman (who shall go nameless in this story) in 1996, together they created a beautiful family beginning with the arrival of Danny in 2000, followed by Emma in 2002, Gabrielle in 2005, and Natalie in 2007.
Sadly, and to the surprise of everyone, Dan's wife began an affair in 2008. Dan filed for a divorce just a year later and by 2010, she was court ordered to leave the family home. When she left in 2010, she drained the family bank accounts and left the family's house payments deep in collections. She moved out of state with her new beau and was never heard from again, completely abandoning 4 children all below the age of 10.
Dan's entire world was flipped upside down. He never took a moment for himself as he had 4 kids and new way of life to jump right into. Dan has always been the strength and provider, he is a prideful man that many, myself included, have leaned on. He's a Detroit native, that worked several years with the Detroit Police, he has been working the last 20 years for 2 different companies, pouring concrete. He has always maintained work but has been stuck between making too much to qualify for government aid and not nearly enough to sustain a family of 5 on his own.
Until recently, no one really knew the struggles Dan went through between 2010 and now. No one would know that the energy bill was late so he could afford school supplies for 4. No one would know that the rent was behind so he could keep a car, or that the water was shut off so he could afford cheer equipment. No one would know that running from the repo man was a real life situation. No one would know that Dan has had to max out the credit cards, and take on second and third jobs, just to provide a Christmas for 4. No one would know that Dan has single handedly plugged along in this lifestyle for the last 9 years. No one would know these things until now because, Dan has never made excuses for his troubles. He is a workhorse that takes a problem head on, and does what needs to be done to resolve it.
A few months ago, the children's mother moved back to MI and has taken Dan to court to battle for custody. This unexpected reappearance has Dan buried in court and lawyer fees. These fees have also caused the rent to fall behind. So much so, that Dan and the kids now face a situation where they won't have a place to call home.
For the first time ever, Dan has reached out and asked for help. My heart shattered upon hearing all the details of his story, I couldn't believe it took me so long to realize how bad the situation truly was. How could I be so oblivious?
I know I can help make this right, I read about small acts of kindness all the time, so I am hoping to be the start of one for Dan and his family. At the heart of this story is a positive, there are 4 incredibly smart, witty, talented and kind-hearted kids that I have the honor to call my cousins. They have grown up surrounded by love. Under the guidance of a Super Dad, they all excel in school, they are active in youthgroups, politics, camp, art, music, sports, and many other activities.
Please consider donating, any amount would help get us toward the goal. The goal is to get a nice down payment on a home, and to help get this family back on their feet! I know firsthand, the power of teamwork, and I thank you all in advance for your genorosity!
Low on funds yourself? There is still a way to help! Please share this post on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, using #McCarthyFamilyMiracle
My name is Shannon AhYou, and I have set this up to hopefully bring some relief to a family that really needs it right now.
My Uncle Dan is a hardworking, single-father of 4 amazing kids. He is a proud family man, who likes to keep a low profile, so hopefully he will forgive me for sharing this story, but I just cannot sit idle any longer!
I am 32 years old and have known Dan my entire life. For the greater part of my childhood, Dan lived 2 blocks away from me. His door was always open, if I needed to vent or sought advice, a place to have movie nights with the cousins, or to get my fix of Duck Hunter on Nintendo. He was the first in line to support any school fundraiser I was working on, and a great help to my family when we first moved to Detroit. Dan has always been a hero to me, and someone I have looked up to my whole life.
He married a woman (who shall go nameless in this story) in 1996, together they created a beautiful family beginning with the arrival of Danny in 2000, followed by Emma in 2002, Gabrielle in 2005, and Natalie in 2007.
Sadly, and to the surprise of everyone, Dan's wife began an affair in 2008. Dan filed for a divorce just a year later and by 2010, she was court ordered to leave the family home. When she left in 2010, she drained the family bank accounts and left the family's house payments deep in collections. She moved out of state with her new beau and was never heard from again, completely abandoning 4 children all below the age of 10.
Dan's entire world was flipped upside down. He never took a moment for himself as he had 4 kids and new way of life to jump right into. Dan has always been the strength and provider, he is a prideful man that many, myself included, have leaned on. He's a Detroit native, that worked several years with the Detroit Police, he has been working the last 20 years for 2 different companies, pouring concrete. He has always maintained work but has been stuck between making too much to qualify for government aid and not nearly enough to sustain a family of 5 on his own.
Until recently, no one really knew the struggles Dan went through between 2010 and now. No one would know that the energy bill was late so he could afford school supplies for 4. No one would know that the rent was behind so he could keep a car, or that the water was shut off so he could afford cheer equipment. No one would know that running from the repo man was a real life situation. No one would know that Dan has had to max out the credit cards, and take on second and third jobs, just to provide a Christmas for 4. No one would know that Dan has single handedly plugged along in this lifestyle for the last 9 years. No one would know these things until now because, Dan has never made excuses for his troubles. He is a workhorse that takes a problem head on, and does what needs to be done to resolve it.
A few months ago, the children's mother moved back to MI and has taken Dan to court to battle for custody. This unexpected reappearance has Dan buried in court and lawyer fees. These fees have also caused the rent to fall behind. So much so, that Dan and the kids now face a situation where they won't have a place to call home.
For the first time ever, Dan has reached out and asked for help. My heart shattered upon hearing all the details of his story, I couldn't believe it took me so long to realize how bad the situation truly was. How could I be so oblivious?
I know I can help make this right, I read about small acts of kindness all the time, so I am hoping to be the start of one for Dan and his family. At the heart of this story is a positive, there are 4 incredibly smart, witty, talented and kind-hearted kids that I have the honor to call my cousins. They have grown up surrounded by love. Under the guidance of a Super Dad, they all excel in school, they are active in youthgroups, politics, camp, art, music, sports, and many other activities.
Please consider donating, any amount would help get us toward the goal. The goal is to get a nice down payment on a home, and to help get this family back on their feet! I know firsthand, the power of teamwork, and I thank you all in advance for your genorosity!
Low on funds yourself? There is still a way to help! Please share this post on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, using #McCarthyFamilyMiracle
Organizer and beneficiary
Shannon AhYou
Organizer
Warren, MI
Daniel McCarthy
Beneficiary
