Support Legal Reform in My Son’s Memory

Help Me Reform Alimony Laws and Honor My Son’s Legacy

My name is Michael Whaley, and I’m a grieving father fighting not only for justice—but for the right to survive.

On February 14, 2024, my beloved son Jacob (Jake) Whaley died from a fentanyl overdose. He was just 27 years old. He died in the presence of my ex-wife, Deidra Whaley—the very person I am still being forced to pay $2,650 a month in spousal maintenance under a non-modifiable agreement issued by the Wisconsin family court system.

That court order will remain in place until 2033, regardless of what she did or what I have endured.

Deidra admitted to law enforcement that she:

Funded the purchase of the drugs,

Drove Jake to pick them up,

And did the drugs with him the night he died.

Despite her role in my son’s death, I am still legally obligated to pay her every month—because Wisconsin’s maintenance law does not allow any modification, even under extreme circumstances like death, criminal behavior, job loss, or relocation. And now, because I cannot keep up with payments while mourning my son and covering funeral expenses, I’m being held in contempt of court and face possible jail time.

Let that sink in:

I’m at risk of being incarcerated for not paying the person who helped kill my son.

⚖️ Why I’m Asking for Help

I have tried to fight this alone, but the legal system has left me voiceless. I've been denied financial relief. I've been denied justice. And now I’m in danger of losing everything.

That’s why I’ve launched this GoFundMe—to raise funds for legal defense and legislative reform. Your support will directly fund:

Legal Representation:

To fight the contempt charge, protect my rights, and challenge the enforceability of this unjust order.

Advocacy & Legislative Reform:

I'm founding a nonprofit, Wisconsin Maintenance Reform, to bring national attention to the cruelty of non-modifiable maintenance agreements. These laws are trapping people in financial bondage—sometimes for decades—even when the person receiving support has committed moral or criminal wrongdoing.

Media & Public Awareness:

My story is being told through national platforms like Soft White Underbelly and The Matt Cox True Crime Podcast. I’m building a campaign to take this issue public, gather supporters, and push for real change.

️ Jake Deserved Better. So Do Other Families.

Jake was a kind soul who struggled, like too many young people today, in a world where fentanyl is destroying lives and families. Instead of honoring his memory, the legal system is forcing me to fund the person who helped take him from me.

I don’t want another parent to go through what I’ve gone through.

I don’t want another grieving father to face jail for simply surviving.

And I don’t want another maintenance payer to be shackled to a judgment that no longer reflects reality.

How You Can Help

Every donation—no matter how small—will go toward breaking this cycle of injustice and reforming a broken system. If you can’t give, please share this story. Help me build the pressure we need to change the law, protect families, and restore fairness to our courts.

With your help, I can turn grief into action. I can fight for Jake. I can fight for others. I just can’t do it alone.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart,

Michael V. Whaley

Founder, Wisconsin Maintenance Reform