Please help me with my legal fees

May 24, 2022, changed mine and my children's lives forever. It was the day I got the courage and strength to leave my abusive husband of 16 years. To some of you this will be a shock, for others it will be a reminder, and for some it will be a story of hope.

I don't think my words can carry the weight of what my kids and I have endured. When seconds seemed like hours, when the slightest noise made me jump, a touch was like my skin was on fire. After a while, my emotions just died. I stopped living.

I was just existing waiting for the end. I was just blank. I blamed myself. How and why I ever got to this stage in my life I don't know. Why did I believe everything he said? I wasn't stupid, I was educated and had friends and a loving family. Why didn't I see the signs? How did 16 years with him overpower the 45 years I had with my family and friends?

To this day I still don't have all the answers. The worst part was I didn't even realize when I became so distant from the rest of the world. When my world just became about him. It didn't happen overnight, but when the abuse began, I felt I had no one to call. Even though the front door was a few steps away, I had nowhere to go. I felt so alone.

Daily abuse became the new norm, being verbally, emotionally, mentally and physically beaten. Behind my smile was pain, which no one saw. Behind the front door was me, but for 16 years no one found me. There were so many times that I thought about leaving him and taking the kids with me. Even if I did, where would we go? He would follow us, find us, and then what would happen?

In those 16 years, he killed my soul. I had lost hope. I stopped believing. The fear, the pain, it broke me emotionally, mentally, and physically. I had nowhere to go and no one to turn to. I was unable to see the light at the end of the tunnel. It took me over 16 years to leave my abuser with the help of family, my local police department, and the Wesley Shelter.

It’s been 16 months since I left my abuser, but I still suffer every day from depression, anxiety, insomnia, and PTSD. BUT that's OK because right now I am living, and I am safe. I am learning to reach out for help and except all the love from my family, friends, and co-workers. With the help of my therapist, I am learning to navigate life's challenges, manage stress, and embrace new opportunities with confidence. I am remaining strong. There are emotional days. The grieving process isn't for the faint of heart. It's such a weird mixture of super strength, anger, sadness, joy, and my favorite...HOPE. I never thought...I HOPED and PRAYED...but never deep down believed that I could enjoy life free from abuse until now. Words can't describe the way it feels to begin to overcome. I may not be there yet...but I know my footsteps are guided, taking one step at a time.

I still have a long legal road ahead of me. To date I have been in court numerous times. Multiple court hearings for him violating the protection order after leaving him. In and out of court for child support. It took over a year to start receiving child support payments. In September I was granted a divorce, sole legal custody of our children and an extension of my protection order for another 2 years. With all that said I have accumulated lawyer fees that need to be paid before I can proceed with alimony and equitable distributions. My oldest son also has a court date scheduled at the end of October to obtain his own order of protection against his father. I do not have PTO, so every day I must take off work to see the lawyer or go to court I don't get paid.

As a low-income single mom, the lawyer fees are more than I can afford. I have been paying what little I can and asking family and friends for help with my legal fees. I am now asking family, friends, and all of you to help me with my legal fees.

Here is where your donations will help.

Legal fees from the last court proceedings $4,500.

Replenishing trust account $3,000.

Future fees such as filing fees, lawyer's courtroom fees, and lawyer's hourly fees (emails, phone calls, and meetings).

Any denomination will help, no matter how big or small your donation, it makes a BIG difference. Any donations not used for lawyer fees will be donated to the Wesley Shelter, which helped me on my journey. If you are unable to donate, I ask that you please share my story in hopes of raising the funds needed.

Thank you for reading my story.

Amy

No matter how big or small your donation is, it makes a BIG difference. As they say, “We Can't Help Everyone, But Everyone Can Help Someone.”