We’ve been asked to keep going. Here is 1994

This photo is Ruth, Michael now 33, me, the year we began at the Renaissance Faire. we were there 27 years and then kicked out. Tom was an actor, writer, director and producer there from 94-14 before turning professional SagAftra actor until retirement at age 80. He’s partially physically disabled with shoulder and leg deterioration and suffers from PTSD despite trying daily to keep up a game face. We need help.

The folks at GoFundMe suggested that since we did reach our initial $4,000 goal but still owe LOTS of money, are on food assistance from AMVETS/PAfoofBsnk we should keep going, so we are. Here are some updates;

I am awaiting word from the Veterans Administration on my PTSD application form Vietnam days. I am a 7 year Navy veteran. No, I wasn’t boots on ground there, but trust me…ALL of us on active duty were.*in* Nam because we were participating. My job partially was to type up the captions of dead bodies from flights downed, some of whom were my friends, like Boyce MacDougal, who was nothing but a huge chunk of charcoal. 3 years of that haunted me and I never really brought it out until my psychiatrist at the VA helped me to do it within the last year, and he’s the one who convinced me to apply for PTSD benefits, especially since we are so poverty stricken since the Renaissance fair canceled Rut’s businesses at the fair and knocked our income down by $80,000 a year.

The 3 adult kids try to help but they are struggling too. Everyone is frankly.

we owe:

VA $2600 for my 24 day hospital stay.

PayPal $1600 for loans.

Dentist $1000

Outside doctors and hospitals roughly $950.

Ambulance company $1300 for 2 trips.

and others.

The Wounded Warrior project paid our electric bill and cable once.

but the oil bill and the electric bill keep coming of course. Friday 22 March 2024 I had non malignant cancer surgery on my face. Ten deep stitches into the cheek muscles. HIGHMARK will surely pay most of it but there’s always those niggling copays like $300(!) we don’t have.

Folks have been so supportive in the past and I honestly never give more than $5, so if you can help a little it adds up.

Thanks in advance.

Tom & Ruth