Help Casey Afford Grief Counseling

Introduction

My name is Krys. I am raising money for my dear friend, Casey, whose beloved mother, Carol, is dying in the hospital. He can’t afford to take time off to be with her. This fundraiser is to pay his expenses for at least a month so he can take a leave of absence. He deserves to be with his mother in her dying hours and to take time off to mourn her after she passes away without worrying about how he will pay for his mortgage, utilities, food, etc.

Casey is an adjunct English professor at several colleges and financially supports his mother and father. Despite working hard enough to exhaust himself and destroy his mental health at each of these schools, he was not hired as a tenured, full-time professor. As a result, he does not qualify for medical benefits and is only paid when working.

His mom Carol has Medicare, as does Casey’s father, so her bills are paid, but Casey has been working more than a full-time professor’s schedule for less money as her health has declined since April of 2022.

As I wrote this, Casey called friends to drive him back to the hospital so his mom would not die alone. Please help him to be able to focus on his mom and take time to grieve without worrying about money.

Why you should donate if you can afford it, or share this if you can’t:

From a text message conversation with Casey, shared with permission

Krys - Can you take a family leave at one or more of your jobs to give this your full attention? I know it's really stressful dealing with all this while trying to work too

Casey - I'd really like to but I don't see how we'd survive. I only get paid if I'm teaching since I'm not on any salary or anything.

Messages From Casey’s Friends

More will be added in future updates.

Casey is a hard worker who supports his family. He always shows compassion for others including his coworkers and students. He is a very supportive friend, and he is in great need of our kindness during this hardship. – Claire, NY

Casey is a kind and intelligent person who has a vast knowledge of movies and literature. I have enjoyed many conversations with him about movies and appreciate all our horror movie nights. He is always willing to listen when I need a friend to talk to. – Alex, NY

Well, Casey was one of the first people I met at Huntington and even though he was soft spoken, he made me feel comfortable there, which is hard for me in new places. He's also incredibly smart and a great listener. It's not often that you meet someone as smart and insightful who is also willing to listen to what you have to say. I really like that we could talk about literature and philosophy, but also about day-to-day things, too. He is truly a kindhearted, clever, and witty person. – Carolyn, MS

Casey, you are being thought about in Tennessee. We remember the fun times at the Renaissance faire. Sending you good vibes and positive thoughts. – Nancy, Chris, plus a puppy, two cats, and three chickens, TN

Stephen King once said: “Books and movies are like apples and oranges. They both are fruit, but taste completely different.” My husband Karl and I enjoy discussing books, especially Stephen King books, with Casey and watching movies with him. He is a fantastic friend, caring and selfless, and we appreciate any help you can give him so he can get through this difficult time. – Krys, NY