Hi, my name is Kathy, and I never thought I’d be here — asking for help just to keep a roof over my head.

This summer, I thought my life was finally coming together. I was living with my fiancé, Jon, and we were planning to get married in September. I was 65, happy, and ready to spend the rest of my life with someone I believed truly loved me.

Then everything started to unravel.

On July 2, I lost my job — the same day Jon and I bought him a used truck. His credit was terrible, so like everything else — the apartment, the bills, even the truck — it all went in my name. I used my severance pay and the last of my retirement savings to cover July and August rent and bills, trusting Jon when he promised to take over in the fall while I looked for work.

Then Jon started saying he was “sleeping at the shop” because he had so much work. I didn’t see him for weeks. I worried, but he kept assuring me everything was fine — that he was just working hard for us.

But something in my heart felt wrong.

In August, one of my friends urged me to check our phone bill. When I did, my world shattered. There were thousands of messages to another woman. I called the number, and when she answered, I knew the truth before she even hung up.

When I confronted Jon, he finally admitted he’d fallen in love with someone else — months earlier. All that time, while I was planning our wedding, buying decorations, and dreaming about our future, he was living a lie. He even let me spend my savings on his truck and our shared home, knowing full well he was leaving.

After that, I learned even more devastating things — that he had a long criminal record I never knew about. I was heartbroken, humiliated, and completely alone.

Now, I’m the one left holding the bag.

Everything is in my name. Everything.

He hasn’t given me a penny.

I owe:

$800 from last month’s rent

$1,600 for October’s rent

$1,600 for November’s rent (due soon)

Around $1,500 in unpaid bills

$2,500 in his credit card bill (in my name that I just found out about)

That’s over $8,000 just to keep my home and pay my utilities.

I’ve sold everything I could — including my wedding dress — for only $440. My savings are gone. My credit is ruined. My car barely runs and smells so bad of smoke it makes me sick to drive it (his old car). I’ve tried every program and resource I can find, but there’s no help left.

I surrendered my kitty yesterday to the Humane Society because I didn’t want her to be homeless as well. They said they’d be able to find her a good home, but I’m still crying about this. My heart is broken into a million pieces.

I started a new job on October 2 working for a philanthropist. Unfortunately, I was told last Thursday that it was not a good fit so I was let go. So now I have no income, and I am going to be evicted on October 31. To top it off, the government is not paying our SNAP this month because of the government shut down. The cupboards are bare, the gas tank is empty, and I’m out of options.

On top of all that, I just got a notice from Merrick Bank saying that my credit card was overdue. I’ve never charged anything on this card. But it looks like Jon has charged over $2500. I don’t know how I’m going to pay that either. My fault, I trusted him with the card. The interest rate on that is 18%.

I’m 65 years old, and after surviving 12 back surgeries, an abusive 23 year marriage and now this betrayal, I’m trying to stand on my own two feet again. But I’m scared. Winter is coming to Minnesota, and if I lose this apartment, I’ll have nowhere to go.

This is my last resort.

I’m asking — please — if you can help me even a little, it might be enough to keep me safe and warm through the winter.

Every dollar means the world to me.

If you can’t donate, please share my story.

You could be the reason I don’t end up on the street.

From the bottom of my heart, ♥️, I am so grateful for any help I can get. I pray that I can get to the end of the month to pay these bills.

Thank you.

– Kathy