Help Huck
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I posted my first YouTube video on March 28, 2010, inspired by the comedy and success of Supermac18. Before watching his videos, and seeing him interviewed by Linda Ellerbe on Nickolodean, I never realized folks could make money making YouTube videos.
Whatever meager talents I possess, I was never out to feed my ego or make hoards of money like some of the more popular YouTube success stories. My goals were simple, to supplement the small salary I earn working my full-time, night-shift job by making YouTube videos freeing me to care for my mom at home during the day. This is after trying several other work-at-home ventures, including free-lance writing projects (which have taken an enormous hit in recent years) and others which were largely either too time consuming or scams.
My goal, in a nutshell, was to be to pay the bills and keep mom happy and comfortable in her own home during her twilight years without having to sell the house and place mom in a nursing home, something I promised her I would never do.
Mom had several disabilities, mental and physical, and caring for her was a full-time job. Eventually, she died of her third bout with cancer on her 82nd birthday, August 8, 2013. Shortly thereafter, my needs and goals dramatically changed.
My own health, brought on by my own and my family's history of smoking (DON'T DO IT) began to really take its toll and I was diagnosed with fourth stage COPD/emphysema. My latest lung function test rates at 18% of normal. I had to go on disability, and that of course entailed a lengthy nine-month period without earning an income while awaiting word of my claim's acceptance by the Social Security Administration. That nine month period was preceded by a good four or five months where I was barely able to work due to exacerbations and hospitalizations.
During those months, I sold many of my possessions in order to pay the bills. Medical bills and my student loan went unpaid for many months. Every routine car repair or unexpected expense is a potential financial crisis; each visit to the doctor, prescriptions, trips to vet for my little dog, had to be charged on credit that was beyond my monthly income to pay.
I am paying a mortgage, utility bills, phone and car insurance, have a few monthly prescriptions and a home oxygen concentrator. Those bills leave me about $100 for everything else, including my monthly groceries, gas for the car, TV, my two hospital bills, three ambulance bills and credit card payments.
I never thought I would be asking this, and I know some of you will be disappointed that I am, but I have reached the point where I have to rethink everything. I had never been on assistance, never applied for (and probably never qualified for) food stamps or a medical card until I filed for disability. I currently get $15 a month in food stamps and I am on Medicare.
Through the help of a few people who know me by my YouTube videos, I have been able to make ends meet and make progress paying down my list of debts.
If you can help, I appreciate it more than you will ever know, and if you can't, no one understands that better than me.
Your donation will help me stay active on YouTube which has been my sanctuary from life's difficulties. More importantly, your donation will help me pay down my student loan, some credit card debt, the above-mentioned hospital and ambulance bills while staying on top of my other obligations.
Thank you for anything you can do. Even that means just keeping me in your thoughts.
Whatever meager talents I possess, I was never out to feed my ego or make hoards of money like some of the more popular YouTube success stories. My goals were simple, to supplement the small salary I earn working my full-time, night-shift job by making YouTube videos freeing me to care for my mom at home during the day. This is after trying several other work-at-home ventures, including free-lance writing projects (which have taken an enormous hit in recent years) and others which were largely either too time consuming or scams.
My goal, in a nutshell, was to be to pay the bills and keep mom happy and comfortable in her own home during her twilight years without having to sell the house and place mom in a nursing home, something I promised her I would never do.
Mom had several disabilities, mental and physical, and caring for her was a full-time job. Eventually, she died of her third bout with cancer on her 82nd birthday, August 8, 2013. Shortly thereafter, my needs and goals dramatically changed.
My own health, brought on by my own and my family's history of smoking (DON'T DO IT) began to really take its toll and I was diagnosed with fourth stage COPD/emphysema. My latest lung function test rates at 18% of normal. I had to go on disability, and that of course entailed a lengthy nine-month period without earning an income while awaiting word of my claim's acceptance by the Social Security Administration. That nine month period was preceded by a good four or five months where I was barely able to work due to exacerbations and hospitalizations.
During those months, I sold many of my possessions in order to pay the bills. Medical bills and my student loan went unpaid for many months. Every routine car repair or unexpected expense is a potential financial crisis; each visit to the doctor, prescriptions, trips to vet for my little dog, had to be charged on credit that was beyond my monthly income to pay.
I am paying a mortgage, utility bills, phone and car insurance, have a few monthly prescriptions and a home oxygen concentrator. Those bills leave me about $100 for everything else, including my monthly groceries, gas for the car, TV, my two hospital bills, three ambulance bills and credit card payments.
I never thought I would be asking this, and I know some of you will be disappointed that I am, but I have reached the point where I have to rethink everything. I had never been on assistance, never applied for (and probably never qualified for) food stamps or a medical card until I filed for disability. I currently get $15 a month in food stamps and I am on Medicare.
Through the help of a few people who know me by my YouTube videos, I have been able to make ends meet and make progress paying down my list of debts.
If you can help, I appreciate it more than you will ever know, and if you can't, no one understands that better than me.
Your donation will help me stay active on YouTube which has been my sanctuary from life's difficulties. More importantly, your donation will help me pay down my student loan, some credit card debt, the above-mentioned hospital and ambulance bills while staying on top of my other obligations.
Thank you for anything you can do. Even that means just keeping me in your thoughts.
Organizer
David Kerester
Organizer
