Peter Busacco

Dear Friends, Family, and Kind Neighbors,I am reaching out to our community today on behalf of my wonderful neighbors, Frank and his wife Corrine (lovingly known as Ting). Both are in their 80s, and Frank is a proud military veteran. They are some of the kindest people you could ever meet, but right now, they are facing a perfect storm of financial, corporate, and medical crises that have completely exhausted their resources, leaving them out of money and falling behind.Over the last three years, living in our 60-year-old condo community has become an unsustainable financial burden. Because of mandatory milestone safety inspections and structural requirements for older buildings, we have been hit with relentless special assessments. First, it was $1,800. Then $3,000. Then another $3,000+, alongside massive spikes in monthly HOA fees. These required funds went toward emergency structural updates, an elevator overhaul that was years overdue, and mandatory building-wide hardwired smoke detector upgrades. On top of that, our building was recently mapped into a flood zone for the first time in 57 years, causing insurance costs to skyrocket.For seniors living on a strict fixed income, these building costs alone would be devastating. But life didn't stop there.On top of these mounting fees, they fell victim to a devastating corporate billing trap. Two years ago, when our HOA upgraded to Xfinity's digital package, Frank and Ting were talked into switching to Xfinity's internet. They were assured their old Verizon service would be shut off and that a simple phone call would take care of it. Believing it was resolved, they trusted the process. However, because they were on automatic payment—a system many seniors trust to keep things simple—Verizon quietly continued to bill them for a year and a half for a service they weren't even using.By the time the error was caught, hundreds of dollars had been drained from their limited funds. When they turned to Citibank for help, the bank stopped the automated deductions, but the nightmare didn't end there. Verizon has continued to send them bills threatening to cut off their (already unused) service. Shockingly, when trying to resolve it now, customer service lines tell them they "don't have an account," making it nearly impossible to get a human to fix the error or issue a refund.Recently, the stress multiplied when Frank and Ting were hit with extreme illnesses that resulted in intensive hospital stays—with both of them being hospitalized at the exact same time. While I have gladly stepped in to care for their beloved small dog and guinea pig, the medical bills from their concurrent stays have piled up rapidly. Combined with a recent minor car accident insurance deductible, they have simply run out of options. They are currently falling behind on their critical HOA dues, medical bills, and daily living expenses.Frank and Ting have spent their lives giving to others, and Frank proudly served our country. They are at their absolute wits' end, stressed beyond measure while trying to recover their physical health.We are raising funds to help them:Catch up on past-due HOA assessments and dues to keep their home secure.Recover the funds lost to the predatory automatic billing cycle.Pay off overwhelming immediate hospital and medical bills.Cover their essential daily needs and basic care for their pets while they recover.Every single dollar will go directly to helping Frank and Ting find stability, safety, and peace of mind during their twilight years. If you cannot donate, please consider sharing their story. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your kindness, prayers, and support.