Help Diane and Her Family Avoid Eviction and After Fraud

Hi everyone,

I’m reaching out today on behalf of my 89-year-old aunt Diane, a selfless and devoted mother. She has spent her life taking care of her daughter Patsy, 65, and her son Michael, 63, both of whom have special needs (pictured above with Diane and their late father).

Over the winter, Diane was hospitalized with a series of serious medical issues. As she was recovering and trying to regain her strength, she was the victim of a cruel and repeated fraud scheme. She was targeted multiple times and drained of her life savings. While we have reported the fraud to the police and are in the midst of an investigation, most victims in cases like this never recover what was stolen. That money wasn’t just for her, it was her safety net to help support Patsy and Michael who will need lifelong care.

Since then, her world has unraveled. She lost every dollar that she had saved and in the process, fell way behind on her rent payments. She now owes over $30,000 in debts. The assisted living facility where she lives with Patsy and Michael is threatening eviction. Diane has a court date set at the beginning of September that will determine whether she gets evicted or not. If evicted, the three of them would almost certainly be separated due to Patsy and Michael’s unique care needs. Being split apart would be devastating and something none of them are emotionally or physically prepared for. They’ve been together all their lives and we are doing everything we can to keep it that way.

Patsy is an active member of their community at the residence they live in, often volunteering and making different crafts for other residents. When she heard they might lose their home, she came to us with a plan, offering to knit hats and sell them. Patsy and Michael have huge hearts and understand enough to know that there’s a real risk of them losing their home and being separated. As their family, seeing their worry and fear is absolutely heartbreaking, especially knowing how special the bond is that the three of them share.

Diane is a proud woman who has spent over 60 years taking care of her family, never asking for help. She has worked tirelessly to give her kids stability, love, and the dignity they deserve. It took everything in her to finally tell us what was going on and ask for help. We are now doing everything we can to help, but the need is urgent.

Diane has enough income through her monthly pensions to cover her rent and living costs going forward, but the debt caused by the fraud and missed payments is simply too much for her to repay on her own. Without help, she won’t be able to catch up in time to avoid eviction. To give her the best chance at keeping a roof over her head and keeping her family together, we need to:

Our goal is to raise $30,000 to cover these immediate costs, keep their family together in their home, and give Diane the breathing room she so desperately needs. Every contribution means more than we can put into words. As a thank you, we’ll also send a few of Patsy’s handmade hats to those who donate and share their story.

Thank you for reading, for caring, and rallying around someone who has given her all to her family.

With gratitude,

Emily, Larry, and Adam (Diane’s niece, brother and nephew)