No one will ever understand how embarrassing this is. That I have to go to the public again and ask for help because bills still need to be paid, as of today there are two lanes against my husband's estate. Problem is, he doesn't have anything, he didn't have anything. The only thing he has is medical bills. Medical bills, he has medical bills because my husband Dennis C Lemons was diagnosed with Stage 4 terminal mesothelioma cancer on October 2, 2024 in the pleura lining of his left lung.

On November 8, 2024, Denny began his first round of cancer treatment. Three treatments every 21 days. One treatment of immunotherapy, and two treatments of chemotherapy. We became hopeful in December, when he had a PET scan and the pet Scan had shown that the tumors in the left pleura had shrunk by more than 53%. He was so happy, he said of all of the things I have ever fought to stay alive with in my life, I am going to be the first one to beat this cancer, watch me.

We celebrated Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's. Ringing in 2025, with the hopes of finally becoming the family that we had always wanted to be. And then February came. The start of the spiral from hell. Severe headaches, nausea, the inability to eat, the inability to use the bathroom, the cancer was taking over. There wasn't a damn thing we could do about it. Denny was terminal we both knew that, but we prayed, and he fought like the Marine he was and in my opinion still is.

He had been in and out of the hospital from February to May 2025. On his 47th birthday, he spent that crying he spent it in pain, and I couldn't do a damn thing about it. I couldn't take his pain away, all I could do was try to give him some comfort to continue to love him, to take care of him, to help him to the bathroom when he could go. I'm not about putting the full description of what my husband went through, but I pray that nobody even my worst enemies ever go through what he went through. I will never wish this on anyone.

On April 28, 2025, Denny was taken to the emergency room via ambulance for severe shortness of breath severe abdominal distension and the inability to go to the bathroom. A CAT scan was done, and then we waited. He was admitted into the hospital that night was he full abdomen full of fluid. And I knew.. I knew there was nothing absolutely nothing that any medication or treatment save him. Everything that we had ever hoped for, including the biggest wedding that neither one of us ever really had was never going to happen.

The next day the doctor told us, his cancer had spread and then then he made the decision that he had prayed that he never would have to make. Denny was in pain, he wasn't giving up, his body was. He wasn't done fighting, but his body was. He wasn't done loving me, but his body was. We did the only thing that we need to do, to make our dream come true even if it wasn't the way that we had originally planned.

On May 5 2025, at 6:30 p.m. in the Little chapel at the hospital, Denny and I were married. We got our happily ever after sort of. I married my best friend, I married my protector, I married my hero, I married the love of my life.

Denny was discharged from the hospital the next day. The reason why we decided to get married on May 5th, was because Denny looked at me and said, Baby girl, I'm not going to make it to the 25th. Our original wedding date was 5-25-25. He knew I liked palindromes. That's why we decided to get married the day that we did.

Some of Denny's Brothers in arms, brothers that he served with, brothers that he had many laughs with, brothers who were there for him who had his back, brothers who's back he had. He believed in the Marine motto or at least one of the Marine mottos, Once a Marine, Always a Marine.

During Denny's time and service, he had made mistakes. He had done stupid things, and he always admitted that he did, and unfortunately he paid the price for that. In December of 2000 Denny was discharged from the United States Marine Corps with an other than honorable discharge status. No he was not dishonorably discharged from the United States Marine Corps, he was other than honorable, because he told the truth, but somebody else lied. Denny paid the price. I have spoken to many have Den's Brothers, including his staff sergeant who Denny loved like a dad. And I have been told by many who served with him, that he was a good Marine, that this mistake should have not allowed for an oth. I have looked at Denny's medical records from the military, and my husband suffered. He suffered from many mental illnesses while in the military, including suicide attempts. But the Marine Corps ignored it. So because of Denny's discharge status of oth Denny did not qualify for any sort of VA benefits. Because the government says the only way you get those is because you were honorably discharged. He didn't give secrets to China, he didn't give secrets or military locations to the enemy. He popped on a urine test for THC. That's what he was other than honorable for. This man served his country, protected his brothers, and that is how the United States government thanked him. Even after his discharge, Den. How many health problems thousands of seizures over the last 25 years those were what I thought would kill him, those are what I thought would end our life together, damn was I wrong.

Denny had talked to his therapist and two friends when he got back to New Jersey and told them that this had been the happiest time that he had had in a long time.

So I'm sure you're wondering, what I'm asking for. Trust me when I tell you I am asking humbly, this is not easy for me. I've asked for help before, I continue to ask for help from the United States government. Oh and did I tell you, I don't qualify for survivor benefits, because Den and I were not long married long enough.

On May 22, 2025, at 9:50 p.m. Denny took his last breath. As Denny's body, failed him the kids said goodbye. Our daughter, said I love you Denny. He responded very weakly, I love you too sweetie. One of our sons, went to his bedside put his arms around and said I love you Mr Lemons. With what little strength that he had, he responded with, I love you too bud, take care of your mom. He then turned to me, and there I sat praying The Lord's prayer, I'm praying his favorite bedtime prayer...

Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to keep, if I should die before I wake, I pray the Lord my soul to take. Has Denny's body continued to shut down, he winced a little bit. Not out of pain. I was told by his nurse that it was because what he was going through was a seizure because of his body shutting down. The first wince he immediately turned his head and our eyes connected. And I asked him, are you ready to go home ? He knodded slightly, and I said Denny, your mission is now over, your fight is over, it's okay to go home. It's for your body to rest. I said I will love you the rest of my life, you will always be my person you will always be my soulmate you were my first, you were my last You are My forever. I love you. He winced one more time, but this time when his head came back towards me he gave me a slight smile, and one single tear fell from his right eye. And I knew he was gone.

If it wasn't for my children, I can tell you was pretty good certainty they are the only reasons why I continue to fight to this day. My husband deserves to be treated with the respect that he earned.

He was given a military funeral, I have his flag folded in a frame on my dresser. It sits right next to his urn that was custom made for him, it's beautiful.

So I guess I should get to the reason why I'm doing this. We are in the process, I'm trying to get Denny's upgrade of his discharge to Honorable. However according to the letter that I just received from the naval review board barring any complications, issues that could arise a decision on Denny's upgrade will take 6 to 8 months. How horrible is that? How horrible is it today United States Veteran has to wait in line for anything that they need whether they are alive or not. His life is over but mine continues, my world didn't stop the day my husband died well mine did, but the world around me didn't. When did he died we lost his income, it may not have been a lot but it helped tremendously every month when it came to be paying rent, utilities, putting food on the table.

I humbly ask for help, my kids and I need help. We received a call from his attorney the other day, stating that there was a lien put on his estate. Before Denny died he wrote a will signed it had it notarized. However, due to some confusion, the will could not be prorated. I had to go a different route, I had to allow the Atlantic County Court to pick an executor. I greatly appreciate the fact that the estate executor is me. With the decision to make me executor of Denny's estate, I ultimately become responsible not just as his Widow, but I ultimately become responsible for any bills that are outstanding since his death or there before.

Right now there is an $82,000 lean against Denny's estate. How in the hell do I come up with $82,000. Any benefits from the VA are null and void because he have his discharge status, and until a decision is made on that we hurry up and wait. Hurry up and wait, that's the government's motto. Doesn't matter if the bills continue to roll in it doesn't matter if the phone calls keep coming it doesn't matter if liens are put on an estate. My husband had nothing, when he died. He had no property, he had no savings, he had no car, he had no home, well he didn't own a home.. so where does the money come from, the man didn't have two pennies to rub together, but before he died he always said if the United States Marine Corps came calling him to return, to boot up, grab his service weapon, and fight for his country even as sick as he would probably put his uniform back on, he would still fight for his country, because as stated above Once a Marine, Always a Marine.

Things are pending, I have to wait. But the bill collectors won't, the rent the landlord they won't wait. So I am asking for help, help with his medical bills, help with his liens on his estate, help to continue to take care of my family. Yes I do work, but due to Denny's death I have struggled mentally, emotionally, and physically. I haven't had time to grieve my husband, because I am still taking care of him by myself even after he's gone. But I will continue to fight and I will continue to take care of my husband. I will make damn sure I am able to give him the honorable discharge if it takes me until my last dying breath. Danny and I have four children, three boys and a girl. They're amazing, I sometimes laugh and think thank God they're all old enough to take care of themselves. But he loved his children, even when things weren't perfect, even when things were rough, he loved his kids.

So if you can find it in your heart, to help me and my children I promise that when everything is finalized, I will pay it forward. I know it is the holidays, and as you walk around and you hear kids talk about what they want for Christmas, or they say they want to go sit on Santa's need to tell them about the best present that they want.

I don't want anything for Christmas except to take care of my family. Because I know that the one thing I want more than anything can't be fulfilled.

I do want to think the Staff Sergeant Troy Lumpkin, Michael Hatt and is Scotty Gonzalez ( sorry if I spelled it wrong Scotty.) Den always spoke very highly of you all. He spoke highly of all of the men that he served with.

Thank you to everyone for taking time to read this, again I don't like asking for help but my husband was a veteran of the United States military, and he deserves the right to rest in peace. Anything will do anything will help and everything will be greatly appreciated.

God bless you all, and I wish you all a Happy Holiday season.