Hello,
My name is Mike Freeman, and this is one of the hardest things I have ever written.
For most of my life, I have been the person others could count on. I have owned businesses, spent many years helping families through real estate, volunteered in my community, and tried to give back whenever I had the opportunity. Asking others for help has never come naturally to me.
For more than 35 years of our 45-year marriage, my wife has lived with serious medical problems. While insurance has helped with many of the medical expenses, her condition requires ongoing care, and I have become her primary caregiver while continuing to work and provide for us. As so many caregivers discover, the financial impact is not limited to medical bills. There is also the tremendous amount of time required to care for someone you love while trying to earn a living.
More recently, another challenge has developed. Doctors who have treated my wife are no longer accepting our insurance, and the specialists we have been able to find are now a two-day drive from our home. The travel is extremely difficult for her, and we still do not know whether these doctors will ultimately be able to provide the care she needs.
Our family also endured the heartbreaking loss of our oldest daughter to COVID complications in 2021. It was a devastating loss that affected our entire family and took me a long time to work through.
Despite everything, I have continued trying to move forward. I started over in a new career so that I could continue providing for us. I knew rebuilding would take time, but it has taken longer than I anticipated for the income to begin catching up.
Today, we are facing a temporary but very real cash-flow crisis.
One of the most frustrating parts of our situation is that we have substantial equity in our home. I have spent considerable time trying to find a way to borrow a relatively small amount—approximately $25,000—against that equity. That would allow us to get caught up and give me the next several months to continue building my income. Unfortunately, because my current income is still being established, I have been unable to qualify for a loan that would allow me to access that equity.
In other words, we have the assets to get through this, but right now I simply cannot get to them.
I am not asking anyone to solve our problems or support us indefinitely. I am asking for a bridge to help us through the next few months while I continue working to rebuild my income and get us back on solid ground.
If my story resonates with you and you are able to help, regardless of the amount, I would be deeply grateful. Every contribution will help get us through this and relieve some of the pressure while I continue working toward becoming financially stable again.
There is something else that is important to me. When I am back on my feet, I intend to go back through the names of the people who helped us and reach out to each of them. Wherever possible, I hope to return the kindness they showed us. I cannot make that a promise today, but it is something I very much want to do.
If you are unable to contribute, I completely understand. Simply taking the time to read our story means more than you know. And if you know someone who might be willing to help, I would be very grateful if you would share our story with them.
Asking for help is humbling. I have spent most of my life believing that if I worked hard enough, I could find a way through whatever was put in front of me. Right now, I have reached a point where I have to acknowledge that I cannot get through this particular stretch alone.
Thank you for taking the time to read our story. Thank you for your kindness, your compassion, and for considering helping us through this difficult time.
With sincere gratitude,
Mike Freeman
May God bless you all.
