Hello, I’m the son of Debbie and Ted. My parents are facing serious financial struggles after my dad lost his job and became disabled nearly 3 years ago. He can barely walk now and has applied to hundreds of jobs with no luck. Meanwhile, my mom—who’s 60 years old—is working tirelessly, cleaning houses and driving for Uber in the evenings and on weekends just to make ends meet.

Despite their efforts, they’ve fallen far behind on bills, nearly losing their house and car. Keeping up with utilities has been almost impossible. A few months ago, I discovered they’ve been surviving on little more than cereal and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.

I’m doing everything I can to help, including working to pay off their car so they can have an extra $600 a month. But recently, my dad showed me photos of the roof directly above their bed, and it broke my heart. The entire area is covered in black mold, and every time it rains, water leaks all over them. My dad stays up all night emptying buckets while my mom tries to sleep.

It’s an overwhelming situation, and I don’t have the means to fix their roof—but they desperately need it. If nothing changes, the mold will lead to serious health problems. I’ve never been one to ask for help, and neither have my parents. They’re hardworking people who’ve always given generously, even when they had nothing left to spare. But right now, they need support, so I’m humbly asking on their behalf.

Their insurance won’t cover the repairs—they took out the policy 20 years ago, and for reasons we still don’t understand, it won’t pay for the roof. I know many people are in need, but if you can contribute anything at all, I would be endlessly grateful. And if you’re unable to give, even your prayers would mean the world to us.

Thank you for taking the time to read this. From the bottom of my heart, thank you.

°°UPDATE°°

Hello! It’s been pretty hectic, but I want to take some time to personally thank everybody once things slow down. To anyone who’s donated or reached out—it truly means so much to me and my family.

Just wanted to give a quick update: We were able to get a tarp on the roof, so at least it’s stopped leaking for now. Hopefully, within the next two weeks, we’ll start the full roof repair.

The pictures I’ve posted only show a small portion of the damage—honestly, the whole house is in rough shape, with nearly every room looking just as bad. The repairs will definitely cost more than the initial $5,000 estimate; we’re looking at at least $15,000 minimum. But this is a start, and it gets the process moving.

My plan is to finish the roof first, then work with insurance to cover the interior damage. I just want you all to know that every bit of help is going directly to them, and I’m working hard to make sure it counts.

Thank you again