Closing the Chapter: Divorce Fund Assistance

Hi all. My name is Kalyn, and I will admit that this is incredibly difficult for me to do. I'm very much a "I've got this" type of person that doesn't like asking for help. I've done that for a while, but I'm in a bind. My friends have reminded me that asking for help isn't a bad thing, and that this has been difficult from start to finish on my wallet. I will be completely transparent about my situation.

As many know, my husband left me in September 2022 via text message, 2 weeks before our one year wedding anniversary. He allegedly went to a work trip in Maine, where he texted me from a burner phone a day after getting there that he wasn't returning home. The situation was unexpected but ultimately for the best as I've discovered a trail of deceit and infidelity over the course of the 4-year relationship we had. I didn't know the individual I married at all.

When he left, I was stuck with all the overdue bills and to pick up the pieces when he was the primary "breadwinner" in the household, making double what I made annually. I had to ask for help at this point, financially, to get caught up. I was still in debt from our wedding-- as everything was in my name.

December of 2022. By this point, I had secured a lawyer to represent me in my divorce. After asking for a loan of $2500 from a family member, the retainer was paid and the process continued on. On December 31st, I did everything I could to offset the financial strain that was placed on me. I moved in with my grandmother.

Fast forward to September of 2023, the one-year separation from my ex (required by South Carolina laws). I assumed we were smooth sailing from that point on. I went through months and months of my lawyer seemingly avoiding my calls and emails, but finally in March of this year, I was told there was a court date.

Two days before my court date, my lawyer called me to inform me he forgot to file for divorce, and my hearing was a separation hearing. The last I heard from him was April 4th, and he ghosted me after. I just received the retainer refund last week, and despite him doing little to nothing (as per my current lawyer), it was $347.

I've had a new lawyer representing me as of May. At this point, I am, unfortunately, still married to my ex. He has taken no financial strain whatsoever regarding the divorce, yet I am approximately $9000 in debt from it. The retainer for my new lawyer that I paid in May was $5000, and I took out a loan in order to secure it.

Now the bind: my ex isn't signing paperwork, and I have to replenish my retainer at my lawyer's office as she tries to work with my ex from over a thousand miles away. The replenishing amount is $1500, but I'm aiming for $3000 in case this drags on longer than expected... because that's how it's looking. I work full time, and I barely make enough to make ends meet-- let alone keep this up.

I never imagined I'd be in a position where I needed to ask for help like this again, but here I am, reaching out to my community in a time of need. I’m doing everything I can to move forward and rebuild my life, but the financial burden has been extremely overwhelming. If you're able to contribute, even a small amount, it would mean the world to me. Every donation helps me get one step closer to finally closing this chapter and starting fresh.

Thank you for taking the time to read my story, for your kindness, and for any support you can offer.

Kalyn