Dedicated Dad Needs Help

[308Mike]

Here's some background and more up-to-date scoop is below. (DEAD LINK NOW - GUNTHING IS CLOSED)

Dedicated Dad is getting SCREWED royally by his former employer. Here's some of what he sent me, I can't list anything which divulges his name, location or previous employer for obvious reasons.

Also, when we talk about helping each other, this post from Connie (DEAD LINK NOW - GUNTHING IS CLOSED) pretty much nailed many of our feelings (mine included) on the subject:

Caimlas is hosting a page at his place for people so they can just click the PayPal button to make a contribution.

I also happen to agree (DEAD LINK NOW - GUNTHING IS CLOSED) with her sentiments about helping our fellow shooters and freedom-loving people:

Just thought I’d add… DD has said that he would pay back any contributions. Well, that’s just NONSENSE and it’s not the way we do things ‘round here. We pay it FORWARD, to the next person who needs help. Any contributions to DD are GIFTS and you do not pay back gifts.

Having been on the receiving (and embarrassing) end of needing and asking for help, the little amounts add up. Some people apologize because they can only send $5.00 or $10.00 and some don’t contribute those small amounts because they don’t think it makes a difference. IT DOES. If 50 people send $10.00 that’s $500.00 and can be the difference between making a mortgage payment and not.

Please keep his real name out of this. I’d be happy to share a summarized version of why this is important, but if anyone needs verification that this need is real and legit, please email either 308Mike or me.

Dedicated Dad adds (from an email he sent to me explaining more of the situation):

I got the letter from them today, officially denying my claim. They cut me off May 15 - in other words, at just past 9 weeks post-surgery when Doc told them up front it would be 3-6 months minimum due to the shape I was in.

I have no words. I really thought I was prepared - I took a pay-cut 5 years ago to get the job with disability insurance. Wish I'd known it was worthless...

None of my guns are worth anything, with only one exception and that was basically a gift from a close friend who would probably freak if I sold it... Everything I own is like my cars - bought used, old, ugly and functional - I was always just trying to do the best for the kids and could never see wasting money on depreciating crap. Guess I never really thought that I might need to sell things someday... I don't own a big-screen TV, none of my computers were more than $150 refurbs... Hell, I don't even have HBO or anything other than "basic cable." I could cut that, but we live in the boonies and can't get anything OTA. Plus, it would cost me more to get out of my contract for bundled TV/phone/internet than my payments would be for the next few months...

I don't know about anywhere else, but in most cases employers will not allow you to return to work after any disability without a "medical release" from your Doc. Even if I'd wished to go back at ~9.5 weeks (as if I were anything close to capable - NOT!) I'd have been refused.

As it is, I am to see "SuperDoc" and a surgeon next week (8/21) to determine when I'll be having surgery to correct the "clunk" and will be laid-up for AT LEAST another 3 months.

So, here I am, on August 15, just now finding out that I was financially screwed three full months ago, that I can "appeal" but they'll probably rubber-stamp it with a big red "no" because they can get away with it, and there's basically nothing I can do about it.

DD's expected help with disability didn't come through, and they were REALLY counting on it. Now his wife is in a panic, his kids are stressing and things are looking pretty bleak. It's killing him to have to ask for help, and doesn't really know how to ask for financial help.

I previously refused offers of help you and others made on the GT site, at this point I have no choice but to beg for any help I can get.

I swear, as a man and a Mason, that I will repay everyone as soon as I am able. If I finally get the disability payments I am owed, it will be 3-4 months and I could pay everyone at once, otherwise... I can't say... I'll have to get ABLE to go back to work, find a job, and get beyond immediate bills to start repaying this.

DD told me on the telephone a few minutes ago, that if someone loans him money and doesn't want to be repaid when he has the ability to repay, he will donate the money to their favorite charity.

If you'd like to help DD, he has PayPal ability on his Yahoo! account.

If you want to make you own PayPal page to so you can click on your own local computer page to loan money to him, the following HTML code will make a page with his address already inserted and generate a clickable button:

Code: Select all

<html>

<head>
<title>Dedicated Dad's PayPal Page</title>
</head>

<body bgcolor="#ffffff" text="#000000" link="#0000ff" vlink="#800080" alink="#ff0000">

<form action="https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr"method="post">
<input type="hidden" name="cmd" value="_xclick">
<input type="hidden" name="business" value="dedicated_dad@yahoo.com">
<input type="hidden" name="item_name" value="Financial help to pay the bills">
<input type="hidden" name="no_note" value="1">
<input type="hidden" name="currency_code" value="USD">
<input type="hidden" name="tax" value="0">
<input type="hidden" name="lc" value="US">
<input type="image" src="https://www.paypal.com/en_US/i/btn/btn_donateCC_LG.gif" border="0" name="submit" alt="">
</form>

</body>

</html> 

Copy the above code into Notepad and save the file with a name you'll recognize and make sure you put HTML or HTM for the extension of the filename (Dedicated_Dad's_PayPal_Page.html).

Open the file you just created, click the button, and help a fellow shooter and NoR member in need.

You you want to read more about what's gone on with the history of this, you can read this thread for starters, then this thread, then this one, then this one, (DEAD LINKS NOW - GUNTHING IS CLOSED) then you'll see he has been one to work his way through problems and issues and not one to call for help at the first time of trouble.

Many have chosen to help him and his family, I hope you will too.

[Cybrludite]

Come Thursday (payday), I'll chip in what I can. Hang in there, DD. We got your back.

[rightisright]

Unfortunately, the links to the story at gunthing.com don't work since the site was just shut down.

Do you have copies of the original posts, Mike? Most of the regulars have probably read them, but some might have missed out.

I threw a bit of coin in already. I'm waiting on a large bid I sent out recently. If I land it, I'll send some more!

And, there will be NO paying me back, DD

[308Mike]

Unfortunately, the links to the story at gunthing.com don't work since the site was just shut down.

Do you have copies of the original posts, Mike? Most of the regulars have probably read them, but some might have missed out.

I threw a bit of coin in already. I'm waiting on a large bid I sent out recently. If I land it, I'll send some more!

And, there will be NO paying me back, DD

I'll have to see what I can do after I talk to DD about what he's written/posted. All the other comments belong to their respective authors and the owners of the GunThing.

[Rumpshot]

Mike,
theothersideofkim still has a link to the paypal button. You need to read the comments to find it, I think.

[308Mike]

Mike,
theothersideofkim still has a link to the paypal button. You need to read the comments to find it, I think.

I saw it, but wasn't sure how long it might be up so I just repointed the link in the comments to Caimlas' site.

So, if people want to hit the PayPal button for Dedicated Dad, they can go to Kim & Connie's site, or they can hit the button at Caimlas' site.

[tfbncc]

Well, I'm in a situation almost as bad as DD's, but when payday rolls around, I know I can kick in $20 or so. More if available.

DD, hang in there.

[308Mike]

Well, I'm in a situation almost as bad as DD's, but when payday rolls around, I know I can kick in $20 or so. More if available.

DD, hang in there.

tfbncc, I don't think DD would want you to make yourself that tight on money to help him. He feels bad enough as it is getting money from people who aren't hurting, but to accept money from someone who's almost in as bad a position as he's in, I don't think he'd be happy about it - and I wouldn't be surprised if he didn't accept it.

He doesn't want to be the source of anyone else's pain or financial situation.

[FelixEstrella]

So, how's DD doing? Haven't heard a peep since GTF closed.

[Dedicated_Dad]

Sorry, guys...

"SuperDoc" is among the most eminent surgeons on the planet - he's the one who explained what's wrong with my knee replacement.

I've got an appt. with SuperDoc and a surgeon on Thursday, and will find out then what's going to happen. At last meeting, SuperDoc said I'd need 1 or 2 more surgeries - the first to cut out the tissue that's getting pinched, and the second to install a thicker plastic bearing component if necessary. I plan to push on Thursday to get them to just go ahead and do both at once for a number of reasons... We'll see what he says.

Anyhow, Surgery expected late Sept. - can't operate sooner because of cortisone shot given at last visit. Recovery time depends on what they do, but figure mid-November at soonest before I'd be able to go back to work. Of course, even if I get lucky and "win" my disability appeal, it could be that long before I get paid...

I've never been so stuck, so screwed... I am grateful beyond my ability to say for the help, especially to Mike for looking out for me here... It's hard on the ego, but... Maybe I needed to be taken down a peg.

DD

Oh: Mike's absolutely right. I can bring myself to accept your "mad money" - cash you would have blown anyway. Please, for G*d's sake don't send me your bean-money. No point in both of us being broke...