Joshua Cardinal

Yesterday, January 31st, we lost my brother to a heart attack.

I've asked for help in the past and thought we were finally treading water. My brother Joshua had a good job, I was working on getting disability, mom was doing better. It wasn't perfect but it was a couple steps back from the ledge.

We can't cover even the cheapest cremation service for him. Several bills that were behind we were catching up on are going to result in cutoffs and I've contacted so many programs and charities locally that keep saying they are already out of money for the month/year today, or we don't meet the criteria for. I'll keep looking for help though, with everything right now, cause we cannot afford to stay here without help until I get my disability and we can't afford to move either.

My brother had his problems but he tried to do his best. He tried to take care of his family first, always. He loved video games, cartoons, and reading. It always surprised people to find out this coarse, gruff guy who framed houses for a living had read Tolstoy, Heinlein and others, but it was one of his escapes and he had a real passion for it. The same could be said for his work. He was the guy who showed up to work, to work! He was being paid for 8 hours and he was gonna work for 8 hours, not talk, slack or hang out.

He could be so stubborn on things he had experience with. Every new employer had their way of doing things, and he'd make them justify it or change their ways. He loved animals. We had dogs or cats, both at times, our whole lives, he could never say no to a good boy or girl.

We all miss him so much.