Donation protected
Hello. My name is Erica Johnson and I am the granddaughter and sole family member of Walter Johnson. My grandfather is a generous and kind 87-year old disabled American Veteran. He is widowed, living alone in his home in Irvine, CA in a senior community next to his dearest friends. He paid off his house completely more than 20 years ago, after serving in the U.S. military and a long, successful career where he supported putting the man on the moon under the Apollo 11 mission as a director at McDonnell Douglas. My grandfather is the only person and family member I had who financially supported my university studies, and I realize that many of my life’s successes and opportunities are because of his generosity.. and now he is in trouble, and in dire need of my help.
THE SCAM::
This year, my grandfather fell victim to an unfathomable scam where he was conned into believing that he won the lottery. The con artists told him that he had won $12-million, but that he needed to pay taxes on the award winnings. They were extremely convincing, and associated themselves with organizations that he has donated money to for decades. He began sending them copious amounts of cash in the mail (inside magazines) without mine or anyone else’s knowledge that this was happening. The situation with the financial abusers became so bad that my grandfather was taking cash advances on credit cards, believing that he was a millionaire. Because money was mailed in cash, there is no paper trail, and no proof of who received the package (or even that it was sent), and the fraud investigators have told me that there is nothing that they can do – basically, that my grandpa is SOL.
THE SITUATION::
My grandpa has lived through the death of two of his children, and my alive father is disabled and limited. I am the only grandchild, and really, the only family member that my grandfather has to help him. Currently, I am living in Berlin, Germany, studying for my Master’s and working. Over the past couple of months since learning of the situation, I have been transferring what money I can and sending cashier’s checks to my grandpa to help him cover expenses.
Due to intensive time generosity of my grandfather's friends, I have found out this week the full extent of my grandfather’s financial crisis. Grandpa Walt has been downplaying the situation, I believe in order to protect me and my worrying. I had been under the belief that everything was OK and was being handled. It hasn’t. Much greater a crisis than I could ever fathom, it is dire. He has been retreating from the reality he faces.
Grandpa Walt has accumulated more debt than he is capable of paying on his monthly fixed income of pension and social security. Several accounts have gone into collections, and he is now at risk of having a lien placed on his home. A minimum of $5,000 is needed immediately in order to bring him current. $30k is the total debt in excess of his current wages and income minus expenses for 2019. I have been able to find low-cost airfare to return to California after the New Year to help with selling some of his collections and household items to help pay off some of the debts, but it will not be enough, and it will not be soon enough.
I NEED YOUR SUPPORT::
My grandpa, who is still very mentally stable, is under extreme stress and pressure having all of this hit him near the end of his life. I am doing the best that I can from across the world, but I am unable to meet this life challenge on my own. In order to meet the minimum financial obligations that would allow for him to stay in his home, I must gain access to immediate funds to pay outstanding debts, which will allow him to stay afloat and not lose his house.
I am not typically one to ask for a helping hand, but unfortunately, this is a financial challenge that I cannot bare alone. I am seeking professional support, but am also asking for generosity of the world. Any and every bit of assistance will be greatly appreciated and used to bring his past-due accounts current and permit for him to make minimum payments on debts on a moving forward basis so that he can live out the rest of his life in peace.
It is with extreme humbleness and gratitude that I ask for your support. No donation is too small. If you could share my situation with your networks, it would be immensely appreciated.
From the bottom of my heart, thank you.
With love,
Erica Johnson
THE SCAM::
This year, my grandfather fell victim to an unfathomable scam where he was conned into believing that he won the lottery. The con artists told him that he had won $12-million, but that he needed to pay taxes on the award winnings. They were extremely convincing, and associated themselves with organizations that he has donated money to for decades. He began sending them copious amounts of cash in the mail (inside magazines) without mine or anyone else’s knowledge that this was happening. The situation with the financial abusers became so bad that my grandfather was taking cash advances on credit cards, believing that he was a millionaire. Because money was mailed in cash, there is no paper trail, and no proof of who received the package (or even that it was sent), and the fraud investigators have told me that there is nothing that they can do – basically, that my grandpa is SOL.
THE SITUATION::
My grandpa has lived through the death of two of his children, and my alive father is disabled and limited. I am the only grandchild, and really, the only family member that my grandfather has to help him. Currently, I am living in Berlin, Germany, studying for my Master’s and working. Over the past couple of months since learning of the situation, I have been transferring what money I can and sending cashier’s checks to my grandpa to help him cover expenses.
Due to intensive time generosity of my grandfather's friends, I have found out this week the full extent of my grandfather’s financial crisis. Grandpa Walt has been downplaying the situation, I believe in order to protect me and my worrying. I had been under the belief that everything was OK and was being handled. It hasn’t. Much greater a crisis than I could ever fathom, it is dire. He has been retreating from the reality he faces.
Grandpa Walt has accumulated more debt than he is capable of paying on his monthly fixed income of pension and social security. Several accounts have gone into collections, and he is now at risk of having a lien placed on his home. A minimum of $5,000 is needed immediately in order to bring him current. $30k is the total debt in excess of his current wages and income minus expenses for 2019. I have been able to find low-cost airfare to return to California after the New Year to help with selling some of his collections and household items to help pay off some of the debts, but it will not be enough, and it will not be soon enough.
I NEED YOUR SUPPORT::
My grandpa, who is still very mentally stable, is under extreme stress and pressure having all of this hit him near the end of his life. I am doing the best that I can from across the world, but I am unable to meet this life challenge on my own. In order to meet the minimum financial obligations that would allow for him to stay in his home, I must gain access to immediate funds to pay outstanding debts, which will allow him to stay afloat and not lose his house.
I am not typically one to ask for a helping hand, but unfortunately, this is a financial challenge that I cannot bare alone. I am seeking professional support, but am also asking for generosity of the world. Any and every bit of assistance will be greatly appreciated and used to bring his past-due accounts current and permit for him to make minimum payments on debts on a moving forward basis so that he can live out the rest of his life in peace.
It is with extreme humbleness and gratitude that I ask for your support. No donation is too small. If you could share my situation with your networks, it would be immensely appreciated.
From the bottom of my heart, thank you.
With love,
Erica Johnson
Organizer and beneficiary
Erica Johnson
Organizer
Irvine, CA
Walter Johnson
Beneficiary