On July 30th, my best friend Marco and I closed on our first home in Pontiac — a beautiful place in the neighborhood we had dreamed of. We thought we were finally starting the next chapter of our lives.

Instead, just days later, our dream turned into a nightmare.

When we moved in, we discovered hidden security cameras still recording us and uploading footage without our consent. The home had been sold as-is with immediate occupancy, but the former owner left behind belongings and later tried to force his way back into our house.

We immediately called the police, filed reports, and were eventually granted a PPO (personal protection order) to keep ourselves safe. But now, the previous owner is suing us, claiming we “lied” to get the PPO and “stole” his belongings — even though everything left in the home was abandoned property under an as-is sale.

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Why We Need Help

We have already spent everything we had on:

• Junk removal & deep cleaning

• Security system & garage repairs

• Plumbing & electrical fixes

• Attorney fees (so far)

We also had to sell some of the abandoned items to cover these costs, but every penny was used on urgent repairs and safety. Now, to continue our legal fight, we need $7,500 for our lawyer. Without it, we risk losing not just our case, but the home we worked so hard for.

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How This Affects Us

As someone who lives with a panic disorder, this ordeal has been terrifying. During the attempted forced entry, I truly believed we might not make it out alive — I even texted my wife instructions for taking care of our cats in case we were killed.

We’ve cancelled medical care, delayed work, and exhausted every option through title insurance, the state broker, and more. This lawsuit is our last obstacle — but we can’t fight it without support.

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How You Can Help

If you’re able to donate, even just a few dollars, it would mean the world to us (and our cats). Every contribution will go directly toward our legal defense and keeping our home safe.

If you can’t give, please share this campaign. The more people who see this, the better chance we have at standing up against this wrongful lawsuit.

Thank you for reading and for standing with us during the hardest chapter of our lives.

One of the dozens of black trash bags of random papers and garbage. In this one we found his college diploma, which had been mold damaged and a box of brand new adult novelty toys. Pictured is my mom laughing while she helped sort things. We found everything from designer items to mold in these bags, together.