Funeral Expenses for Robert Drain Jr
Donation protected
Robert, our dad passed away suddenly and unexpectedly Thursday, July 11th 2019 from a diabetes related heart attack at the age of 53. He had been fighting type 2 diabetes for the past 13 years. He had no life insurance policy.
Robert served for 22 years as a member of the Army National Guard, retiring in 2008 from the 105th Military Police Company from the Connecticut St Armory in Buffalo, NY. He was deployed overseas multiple times, serving in Desert Shield/Desert Storm, Bosnia-Herzegovina, and Operation Iraqi Freedom. He was also on the response team to Ground Zero in the days following 9/11.
In 2009, Robert was certified at being 50% disabled due to his service related Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. In 2011, he was released from his job of almost 22 years at Designers Folding Box Company in Buffalo due to difficulties with PTSD. Following this, it was determined that he was unemployable and permanently disabled due to his disability and was certified at 70%.
We have found out that since he was not disabled enough (at 70% or higher) for 10 years or more, that our mother is not entitled to any of his veterans disability benefits. To be qualified to receive military retirement benefits, the veteran needs to be at least 55. Since Robert was 53, he had not yet begun collecting, and that money is now the government's. Even though he was considered permanently disabled, he was not eligible for Social Security Disability. He fought for over a year, still denying him benefits. Since he was not of retirement age, Social Security gives a one time payment of $255, the rest of what would be his social security also staying with the government.
Due to health problems of her own, our Mother Dina has been unemployed for the past 2 years, and is currently recovering from a hip-replacement surgery performed in May. Robert was the sole provider in the house, covering both him and our mother's health insurance and monthly bills.
Without life insurance or any military benefits and no access to our father's accounts, our mother has no income. No income to cover funeral expenses, to pay monthly bills, or to sustain herself and their dog, Robert's third child Jake for the foreseeable future. Any donations made will be going to our mother Dina, to cover funeral expenses and to set her on her way to being able to provide for herself again.
No amount is too small, every penny is precious. Please keep our mother and us in your prayers through this terrible time.
Thank you
Rosemarie & Amber Drain
Robert served for 22 years as a member of the Army National Guard, retiring in 2008 from the 105th Military Police Company from the Connecticut St Armory in Buffalo, NY. He was deployed overseas multiple times, serving in Desert Shield/Desert Storm, Bosnia-Herzegovina, and Operation Iraqi Freedom. He was also on the response team to Ground Zero in the days following 9/11.
In 2009, Robert was certified at being 50% disabled due to his service related Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. In 2011, he was released from his job of almost 22 years at Designers Folding Box Company in Buffalo due to difficulties with PTSD. Following this, it was determined that he was unemployable and permanently disabled due to his disability and was certified at 70%.
We have found out that since he was not disabled enough (at 70% or higher) for 10 years or more, that our mother is not entitled to any of his veterans disability benefits. To be qualified to receive military retirement benefits, the veteran needs to be at least 55. Since Robert was 53, he had not yet begun collecting, and that money is now the government's. Even though he was considered permanently disabled, he was not eligible for Social Security Disability. He fought for over a year, still denying him benefits. Since he was not of retirement age, Social Security gives a one time payment of $255, the rest of what would be his social security also staying with the government.
Due to health problems of her own, our Mother Dina has been unemployed for the past 2 years, and is currently recovering from a hip-replacement surgery performed in May. Robert was the sole provider in the house, covering both him and our mother's health insurance and monthly bills.
Without life insurance or any military benefits and no access to our father's accounts, our mother has no income. No income to cover funeral expenses, to pay monthly bills, or to sustain herself and their dog, Robert's third child Jake for the foreseeable future. Any donations made will be going to our mother Dina, to cover funeral expenses and to set her on her way to being able to provide for herself again.
No amount is too small, every penny is precious. Please keep our mother and us in your prayers through this terrible time.
Thank you
Rosemarie & Amber Drain
Co-organizers (2)
Amber Lynn
Organizer
Gowanda, NY
Rosemarie Pugliese
Co-organizer