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Humble request to support Eric

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Through a mutual friend, I met Eric O’Brien in 2005.  We were instant friends and have had a unique bond over the last 15 years. 

Fast forward to September of 2018 when Eric asked me to give him a hand on a project at his house.  We took a break for dinner at Eat ‘n’ Park which morphed into a late-night session of storytelling, laughing, and reminiscing.  It was that evening that Eric also opened up to me about some challenges he was facing, and I felt more trusted than ever.  Since that day we have been nearly inseparable, while carrying each other through difficult times and celebrating with each other during happy times.      

With much hope and full heart on my part (and with Eric’s permission, but a lot of reluctance on his part), I would like to share a bit of that story with you.

[Before you read any further, I need to share Eric's wishes that if you have any questions about this matter, please do not reach out to him directly. Instead, please reach out to the following email:  [email redacted].com.  He confided in me that he has many reasons for not opening up about these challenges previously.  With that in mind, please understand that whether you are a friend, relative, colleague or acquaintance, he has asked me to assure you that it’s nothing personal.] 

Okay, here it goes…

There are times in life when we have to tread down a path that we don’t necessarily want to, even though it is necessary.  This is an example of one of those paths. As you read this, you may be surprised to learn that Eric is three (3) payments away from the end of a 60-payment Chapter 13 bankruptcy.  Although a necessary action of which he is not particularly proud, he is very proud of having plowed through these payments on his own. 

But why has Eric not shared this with you? Here are his own words:

"When you file for bankruptcy, you are required to take an online credit course (or two or three!) on spending and saving – even if you truly know the ins and outs of it. In the very first lesson of the timed courses, they admit that if you “go public” with such news, you will have friends and others who will look down upon you. Wow…thanks! While that may be something hard for some to hear, I was aware of that all along. But let’s face it, we ALL have passed judgement on someone at some point. Unfortunately, it’s a part of the human condition. But I wasn’t going to give people the opportunity to kick me while I was already down.  Instead, I chose to chart the course and “get it done!”"

At this point, surely you are asking, “why did he need to do this?”  Without going into specific detail, Eric is comfortable sharing that he was the victim of a very crafty stock broker many years ago. He is still receiving minuscule monthly restitution payments but has received no additional support from the courts.  Although this circumstance was a big part of the events that led to this need, there have been other contributing factors in the years since which made it easy to fall behind financially.  As you know, Eric can work and earn a living in spite of his health issues; however, it’s not reasonable for him to work the 80 to 100 hours a week that would be needed over many years to make up for such losses.  

Despite the good news, the bad news is that to ensure Eric's safety, there are some things that need attention sooner rather than later for which he does not have the financial means.

My humble request is to raise $80,000 for the purpose of:

---Some much-needed roof repairs and waterproofing.  Aging construction and a few years of record-breaking rains have made this necessary for certain parts of the house. 

---A new furnace.

---A car – Eric doesn’t drive as much as he used to, but the car he has had for the last 10 years is out of commission.  It is no longer safe to drive, and repairs (if possible) will cost more than the value of the car.

I do want to emphasize that Eric is able to afford basic needs – food, clothing, and regular bills.  The goal here is to give him a running start; to provide him with a foundation to improve his safety and to help build future financial stability.  Again, he was very reluctant to let me develop this campaign. While he is no doubt humbled by this, he is more so embarrassed by these needs. However, I remind him that his resilience is amazing given his health diagnosis, a divorce, and this financial need all in a matter of a few years. 

Every penny raised will be placed into a secure bank account and will be used solely for the purposes set forth above.    

Thank you so much for considering a donation, especially during these pandemic-induced uncertain times. After all, at any time any one of us could find ourselves in a similar situation through no fault of our own.  Eric is grateful and so am I.
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    Annie Ensminger
    Organizer
    Allison Park, PA
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