Hello — my name is Christine. I’m reaching out because the last three years have been unimaginably difficult and I need urgent help.

On February 23, 2023 my father — a generous, caring man who always put others first — died suddenly. Because he did not have a will, obtaining access to his accounts and managing his mortgage and properties became extremely complicated. My sister and I struggled to get information; we were expected to cover bills without being given the details. The constant stress of managing the estate contributed to my sister’s death by suicide on July 29, 2024. I believe the pressure of the estate and bills was a major factor.

Since then I have been the sole person trying to stabilize what’s left of our family’s affairs. I’ve lived in my childhood home for 25 years — in the basement — while probate is still incomplete and the bank (RBC) restricted access, stopped providing statements, and increased the mortgage rate dramatically (they charged an interest rate of 9.75% for nearly three years). That spike consumed most of my late father’s savings and forced me to use my life savings to pay off the mortgage to stop a forced sale. Now I have almost nothing left.

The house and an additional property my father owned have severe mold and structural problems that require urgent, costly repairs (waterproofing, mold remediation, structural fixes). Contractors estimate tens of thousands for the work; one property needs more than $200,000 in structural repairs that were not disclosed when my father purchased it. Two properties have been vacant for years and we have been unable to rent them out because probate and bank restrictions prevent action.

I am asking for help to:

Pay for immediate mold remediation and waterproofing so I can live safely in the basement.

Complete essential structural repairs on the other property.

Cover urgent living expenses and legal fees while probate is finalized.

Rebuild a small emergency fund so I’m not left homeless or unable to pay future bills.

I recently lost my full time job as of October 6. I was a teacher with TDSB since 2011 and was terminated while I was on a mental health leave. I have struggled with severe depression since losing my job. I also loat my health benefits and unable to treat my physical pain and mental health as the costs are too high.

I am also currently battling a lawsuit in which the company we had hired to manage my father's estate 3 years ago, Concentra Trust, has taken my father's retirement life insurance money of $30,000 on March 2024 and never told us until I found out about it on November 2025. This will cost me thousands in legal fees to fight them.

I am exhausted and burnt out and doing this on my own.

I know asking for help is hard. I’ve always been independent and worked multiple jobs for years. I’m asking now because I can’t do this alone.

If you can’t donate, please share this page — sharing helps more than you know. I will provide updates here as repairs and legal matters progress. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for reading, for any help you can give, and for sharing.

With gratitude,

Christine