Person I am close to asking for money for medical bills

[Anonymous]

A person I am close to, I won't say how, has been soliciting close friends and family for help with some truly major medical bills. I feel for her and her tragic, on going, chronic medical situation. But her husband is a lawyer, they live in a million dollar plus house, have multiple kids in private and own a beach house that is worth at least half a million dollars. I know these unforeseen medical costs are overwhelming and horrific, but can't you cut back in some other areas before hitting up friends and family for money? Sell your beach house maybe? Ask schools for no tuition for the remainder of the year? My family is not in a position to really help. We did donate $500 but that won't even make a ding.

[Anonymous]

You aren't obligated to help. Geez people, not that difficult

[Anonymous]

Wow, I would not have not donated that. You are a great person! Yes, they need to sell beach house before asking people for help. I truly can't believe that!

[Anonymous]

I wondered why Big Ang on Mob Wives had an online fundraising page to pay for her cancer medical treatments. I thought the women on the show were wealthy, plus they were paid well for being on a reality tv show. She needed to raise $25,000.

[Anonymous]

They should sell the beach house first or at least mortgage it. I had to file for bankruptcy due to medical bills. It was a horrific embarassing exhausting experience. I had no other recourse because I had no assets that I could turn into cash to pay the bills.

[Anonymous]

Help other ways. Drop off meals, offer to do laundry, school pick ups, babysit, etc. I don't make a lot of money so I always try and volunteer time over money.

[Anonymous]

I don't believe this story at all. Anyone with the lifestyle OP described would be too ashamed to ask for money.

[Anonymous]

Wow the balls. Sell the beach house. Sorry they overextended, but that's just amazing.

[Anonymous]

You made a token gift. That's more than u had to do. Ultimately, they will sell some assets don't worry about it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't believe this story at all. Anyone with the lifestyle OP described would be too ashamed to ask for money.

Maybe they are from another culture just guessing. .

[Anonymous]

They're asking for outright gifts, not loans, with those kind of assets? SMH. It's incredible.

[Anonymous]

This is completely true and they are American born and bread. The mother, who is my close friend, suffered a terrible and sudden acute illness that had left her partially paralyzed. It is beyond tragic. I don't think I am outing them since they don't live in the DMV. They have 3 elementary/middle school age kids and I know this is an impossibly hard time for them.... they have always had an easy and excellent UMC luxury life and I think this new reality is going to change all that and its too bad but they need to face reality. It is a really terrible situation where the mom needs in home nursing now that she is out of rehab. They have a nanny to help with the kids, but its just their lifestyle is going to majorly change and they can't face it right now at this moment.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is completely true and they are American born and bread. The mother, who is my close friend, suffered a terrible and sudden acute illness that had left her partially paralyzed. It is beyond tragic. I don't think I am outing them since they don't live in the DMV. They have 3 elementary/middle school age kids and I know this is an impossibly hard time for them.... they have always had an easy and excellent UMC luxury life and I think this new reality is going to change all that and its too bad but they need to face reality. It is a really terrible situation where the mom needs in home nursing now that she is out of rehab. They have a nanny to help with the kids, but its just their lifestyle is going to majorly change and they can't face it right now at this moment.

How incredibly rude of them. I would write a note that says I'm beyond sad of what has happened to you. However, maybe you don't realize that many of the luxuries you enjoy we don't have additional money to spend on. I'm here to offer you moral and other support, but I am not in the position to help you financially.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Help other ways. Drop off meals, offer to do laundry, school pick ups, babysit, etc. I don't make a lot of money so I always try and volunteer time over money.

This. They will come to terms with the financial stuff, but it sounds like they could really use emotional support right now - to feel like other people *care* that they are in this personal tragedy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You made a token gift. That's more than u had to do. Ultimately, they will sell some assets don't worry about it.

I don't think $500 is a token gift at all.