Help keep Michelle and her boys in their home
Donation protected
In 2013 my friend Michelle packed up her life and her 4 boys leaving Ireland to move to Canada for her husband Gerry’s new job.
She knew the move and the transition would be a struggle but wanted to support her husband and make the most of their new life. Gerry worked for an oil and gas company (Suncor) and that meant he was away often so she wanted to make sure they were home whenever he was.
Everyone settled into their new lives in Canada and life was good...for a while.
Then in May 2018 Gerry abruptly left the family home and almost immediately moved in with a new girlfriend. The family was shocked and hurt but Michelle put all of her time and focus into getting the boys back into a stable life. The boys were hurt and felt abandoned but they slowly started to heal and seem happy again.
When Gerry left Michelle filed for divorce and worked with the courts to gain Child and Spousal Support Orders as well as an order to keep the family car in her possession for the boys.
In the beginning the support payments were inconsistent, but paid. Until July 2019 when the support payments stopped completely and Maintenance Enforcement Alberta became involved. Gerry now owes 40k in payments for his family while posting ads of watches online worth 35k and planning a vacation to Ireland in June with his new girlfriend. This is happening while Michelle has to use the food bank to keep the boys fed, the car has been taken from them and now they are in real danger of losing their home.
In Ireland Michelle had a great job with Hewlett Packard but she had to leave that to move to Canada. Her out of date experience combined with Alberta's current recession has made finding a job next to impossible for her but she continues to try.
I’m writing this because my heart is breaking for these boys. Evan, Cian, Ross and Dean are bright, kind and funny. They don’t deserve this. Their food is dictated by what Michelle can get from the food bank which is often meals they don’t like but hunger is the other option.
Even grooming costs money so once again the boys must go without hair cuts and in second hand clothes while their father works for a large Oil & Gas company. The boys lives have gone from being filled with more than enough to feeling like they are less than.
Without the support of family and a very old friend in Ireland Michelle would not have been able to make Christmas happen and Santa would not have come to the boys.
Family and friends have suggested moving back to Ireland as she would have better support there but legally Michelle cannot leave the country with the boys as Canada is their habitual residence and by law she cannot take her children home with her.
Without a car the boys are having to walk to school and in Alberta’s fridgid winters that can be dangerous. Michelle has been relying on the help of friends and neighbors just to get by but now the risk of losing their home is closing in.
Please help me keep Michelle and her boys in their home so as least one thing in the boys life can remain constant.
Anything helps, even just a share.
She knew the move and the transition would be a struggle but wanted to support her husband and make the most of their new life. Gerry worked for an oil and gas company (Suncor) and that meant he was away often so she wanted to make sure they were home whenever he was.
Everyone settled into their new lives in Canada and life was good...for a while.
Then in May 2018 Gerry abruptly left the family home and almost immediately moved in with a new girlfriend. The family was shocked and hurt but Michelle put all of her time and focus into getting the boys back into a stable life. The boys were hurt and felt abandoned but they slowly started to heal and seem happy again.
When Gerry left Michelle filed for divorce and worked with the courts to gain Child and Spousal Support Orders as well as an order to keep the family car in her possession for the boys.
In the beginning the support payments were inconsistent, but paid. Until July 2019 when the support payments stopped completely and Maintenance Enforcement Alberta became involved. Gerry now owes 40k in payments for his family while posting ads of watches online worth 35k and planning a vacation to Ireland in June with his new girlfriend. This is happening while Michelle has to use the food bank to keep the boys fed, the car has been taken from them and now they are in real danger of losing their home.
In Ireland Michelle had a great job with Hewlett Packard but she had to leave that to move to Canada. Her out of date experience combined with Alberta's current recession has made finding a job next to impossible for her but she continues to try.
I’m writing this because my heart is breaking for these boys. Evan, Cian, Ross and Dean are bright, kind and funny. They don’t deserve this. Their food is dictated by what Michelle can get from the food bank which is often meals they don’t like but hunger is the other option.
Even grooming costs money so once again the boys must go without hair cuts and in second hand clothes while their father works for a large Oil & Gas company. The boys lives have gone from being filled with more than enough to feeling like they are less than.
Without the support of family and a very old friend in Ireland Michelle would not have been able to make Christmas happen and Santa would not have come to the boys.
Family and friends have suggested moving back to Ireland as she would have better support there but legally Michelle cannot leave the country with the boys as Canada is their habitual residence and by law she cannot take her children home with her.
Without a car the boys are having to walk to school and in Alberta’s fridgid winters that can be dangerous. Michelle has been relying on the help of friends and neighbors just to get by but now the risk of losing their home is closing in.
Please help me keep Michelle and her boys in their home so as least one thing in the boys life can remain constant.
Anything helps, even just a share.
Organizer and beneficiary
Sharlene Wrightson
Organizer
Airdrie, AB
Michelle McGrath
Beneficiary