Camille Mason raised three boys as a single, full-time working mother in Colorado. She never thought retirement would be an option for her as a one-income household. She worked tirelessly throughout the 1990s and 2000s as her boys graduated from high school and started their own adult lives. Finally, at age 60, she was able to pay off her Colorado house. The dream of someday retiring became feasible.

During this time, she met and fell in love with her now husband, Russ Mason, and they were married in 2018. Their life together opened with an opportunity for Russ to receive a knee replacement, relieving 20 years of his right leg's knee joint being fused and unable to bend. Unfortunately, after two years of fighting infection in his knee replacement, Russ had to have his leg amputated. They lost the dreams of an active future together and instead gained excessive medical bills.

As they adjusted to life with Russ in a wheelchair, it became apparent that their home would not be a long-term option for Russ. They began dreaming again, this time of moving to a rural area of Tennessee and buying land, and most importantly, designing their wheelchair-accessible dream home. Since Russ has been on disability for several years, he hoped for a home that would allow him freedom and independence. With their Colorado home paid off, Camille knew they could afford a new build in Tennessee and still achieve the dream to retire in a few years and focus on life with her husband, children, and grandchildren.

They began construction on their Tennessee home in 2024, hiring a local contractor they had no reason to doubt. While the home construction began promisingly, soon the timelines promised by the contractor came and went. He requested more money and stated various problems and reasons for his increased cost. As the house building continued, many problems became apparent, including rooms the wrong size, walls that were not square, and issues with the ceiling and roof. All this time, more and more money was being lost. Finally, they fired the contractor after they’d already paid him $200,000 with extensive work still needing to be done on the house. There wasn’t a single thing he touched that didn’t need to be corrected, down to the foundation.

Camille and Russ hired a new contractor, who at first wasn’t sure the house was salvageable. Intensive work continued, at a higher cost, to not only complete their dream home, but fix the problems the first contractor caused. To fix and finish all the items will cost them $220,000.

Because of the contractor who scammed and stole from the Masons, the dream of Camille enjoying her retirement in their dream home seems to have vanished. They thought they’d finish their home with a low debt of around $20,000. Instead, they will end with $220,000 in debt or more. Though the Masons and their family have sought restitution, the contractor has disappeared.

We, Camille and Russ’s friends and family, are gathering around her to seek help for these people we love. The loss of the dream of Russ’s knee replacement, and instead adjusting to life in a wheelchair, was a painful blow. The loss of the dream of the future they’d envisioned in their new home, enjoying retirement together, is a loss we hope to help them regain. We are counting on many people, near and far, to contribute to this Gofundme to help them recover what was lost. Let’s help this dream not be one that is lost forever. Camille and Russ have poured so much into others; now let’s pour into them.