How do we help the helpless?

My name is Karen but this gofundme is not for me. It's for my friend, Lori Hedberg. Yesterday she had 5 sheriff cars, a fire truck and an ambulance outside her mobile. She was inside - incoherent and helpless.

I was hired 5 years ago to help Lori move out of her family home where she had lived for 50 years with her parents. Lori is severely mentally ill and, now, her parents had passed. With the trust they left, knowing she couldn't care for herself, someone helped her buy a mobile. Then, the money was gone and so was everyone else.

I kept in touch a while knowing she had no one and I wondered how she would do. A couple months ago I called again and I could tell the situation was bad. She was about to be evicted from the mobile park. (She didn't ask for money, just a ride to look for a place) She had tried to catch up her rent but they had run out of patience.

Lori is helpless with money. She's mentally ill and if she has ANY she spends it...on ANYTHING! Even when she tries not to. She's helpless.

Knowing the next step would be homelessness I stepped in and paid her rent. We made an agreement which she has kept. Every 1st of the month we get out her cash and pay her bills. I budget it out to catch up her power, and her phone. Monday I was taking her to lunch for her birthday. She was excited but didn't respond to my text or call. I began to worry. When I arrived I couldn't rouse her. The house was locked. I asked the park manager if she had a key. "no, but Lori needs to move, she can't take care of things." And, go where I asked? The street? "Well, somewhere...." she said.

I called the sheriff for a welfare check. I heard her groan...the sheriff asked what was wrong? I don't know. Do you have a key? No. Are you family? No. by this point she had kind of crawled to we could see he through the blind. She was hollow, helpless, clearly in an altered state. They asked if she was a drug addict? No, she's mentally ill. She does take medication.

" We can't go in," the sheriff said. "She's not in immediate danger." "Does she have a a medical condition?" Well, she's been on medication for 50 years for bipolar...Is that not a medical condition?!

So how do we help the helpless? Our country doesn't do it well. Can we do better?

Finally, the boss came and agreed to break in. Then, I heard someone say "Quick, get an ambulance. She's fading fast." They asked when I saw her last. It was a couple weeks ago. "There's food in there with mold on it" Yes, she's kind of helpless. The kitchen sink has been stopped up for a year. Mail is strewn everywhere. They are threatening to turn off the power, the phone...

Lori is now in the hospital. The neighbors were astounded to hear she would be returning because she can't take care of herself...Donna came by to say she owed her $40. She's not conscious but she owes me $40. We assured her we would leave a note on the casket if she didn't pull through stating she owes Donna $40.

But this time, she will live. She will return to a house that is uninhabitable. She won't be able to get it fixed, or repair the door they kicked in, or get the carpet cleaned.

So, Will you help me help the helpless? I can clean it. But, I can't afford to replace the flooring and the sheriff locked the cat in and left the mess Lori made while she was sick. Since I paid the rent I can't afford to fix the sink...

I've made a commitment to help her once it's habitable...to get the bills paid, a housekeeper, etc. Will it work?

Lori is one in thousands...we can't help them all, but, maybe you can help my friend...and I can help your friend. One by one, little by little I think we can happily help the helpless.