Please check out my GoFundMe:
Donations, less GoFundMe fees, go to Tomas and Leigh Hood.
Support for a service-connected disabled veteran and his family in crisis.
Donations, less GoFundMe fees, go to Tomas and Leigh Hood.
Support for a service-connected disabled veteran and his family in crisis.
See the latest update, including 20 July 2026
The UPDATES bring you current to our NOW status...
please do read our updates.
The UPDATES bring you current to our NOW status...
please do read our updates.
The core of our story starts here: I am a service-connected disabled United States Army veteran. My wife, Leigh, and I never expected to find ourselves homeless, but a sudden combination of medical emergencies, unexpected job loss, and a broken system has left us fighting for our survival, starting at the end of February, 2026. Yes, we have been homelss since February, 2026. We are currently living out of a hotel, and we are trying everything under the sun to get back on our feet. We need a bridge of support to keep us safe until we can secure a new home and I can secure my next job.
The Perfect Storm: Health, Housing, and Job Loss
In November 2025, Leigh was hospitalized on her deathbed fighting sepsis. She battles aggressive advanced Rheumatoid Arthritis alongside several other auto-immune diseases and medical disabilities.
While fighting for her life, we lost our forever home to an auction by an uncompromising mortgage company. We didn't lose our home due to negligence; we lost it due to a systemic policy gap. When the government abruptly canceled the VA's mortgage rescue program and ended pandemic protections, it stripped away the safety net for veterans. Aggressive mortgage companies capitalized on this to issue rapid defaults and profit off the equity. Leigh and I are among the roughly 90,000 veterans nationwide who are facing foreclosure because of this crisis. To massive companies, we are just a statistic.
To compound our housing loss, I was laid off from my Senior Software Engineering contract at the exact same time. The tech industry is facing a historic employment crunch--in just the first three months of 2026, over 55,000 IT workers were laid off nationwide to fund AI restructuring. With the market suddenly flooded with tens of thousands of highly qualified engineers, securing new contract work is incredibly difficult. I am highly employable and eager to work, but it is nearly impossible to work as a computer programmer without a stable home base.
Our Current Reality & Expenses
Being a homeless disabled veteran is a profoundly challenging endeavor. We are taking things day by day in a hotel, paying $500 a week.
Thankfully, our two younger felines--both service animals--are able to stay with us at no extra charge. Heartbreakingly, we couldn't keep all three with us. Our older cat, Ernie, is currently being boarded at a feline hotel. His boarding costs $250 a week, plus $40 a week for his necessary medications. Keeping Ernie safe and cared for until we can reunite our household is an absolute priority, but the costs are draining our nonexistent resources.
The Path Forward
We are applying tirelessly to property management companies and private landlords. The corporate world often turns a blind eye to homeless veterans, so we face frequent refusals. However, we are making headway with a few private landlords and hope to have some positive answers this week. We are not picky--the home just needs to be healthy enough for our disability requirements.
How You Can Help
Any funds you might be able to spare will help us immensely as we navigate this nightmare. Your donations will directly fund:
- Temporary Housing: $500/week to keep a roof over our heads at the hotel.
- Basic Survival: Groceries, gas, and keeping our phones active for job and housing applications.
- Future Housing Costs: Securing a deposit and first month's rent once approved by a landlord.
We trust in God, and we are endlessly thankful for our friends, family, and kind strangers who are praying and helping with even the most meager of donations. Someday, we will pay this forward and help others going through the nightmare we are facing now.
Thank you from the bottom of our hearts. Please share this page if you can.
Click here to help out: Support for a service-connected disabled veteran and his family in crisis
Updates (latest first)
Update on 20 July, 2026
URGENT SOS: 3 Weeks from the Streets - We Need Your Help Now
The GoFundMe page, direct from here, is: https://gofund.me/55ba620e7
We are writing this update with heavy hearts, sheer exhaustion, and complete transparency. We are quite literally three weeks away from having nowhere to sleep. While we have fought incredibly hard to stay afloat, we are currently completely broke and desperately need to raise at least $1,000 immediately to cover basic survival costs, and at least $450.00 per week, starting in three weeks to pay for staying in the hotel. I have enough left to pay for three weeks of hotel. Then, we face eviction.
We are so profoundly grateful for the incredible amount we have raised since February, because of the amazing kindness of each donor. We don't take this lightly: We know the amount donated looks substantial, but the devastating reality of surviving homelessness is that it is overwhelmingly expensive. Because of the generosity of others, we have not been sleeping in our car, or worse. We have not lost our belongings (yet), nor lost our support animals (but that could change in mere weeks).
The money donated so far since February has been completely exhausted by the exorbitant costs of simply existing right now: our hotel room which costs $450 every single week, monthly storage fees for all our earthly belongings, plus what we had to pay for pet boarding for our cats during March, April and May, plus the weekly costs of gas, food, car insurance, and endless medical expenses.
The emergency is not over. It has escalated. Here is exactly what we are facing right now:
Countdown to the Streets
I am actively applying for software programming jobs every single day, but I am hitting a massive wall: I must secure a job that accepts that I am currently living in a hotel in Lincoln, Nebraska. If I do not land a job and secure income before those three weeks are up, we will literally be on the street.
Leigh's and Tomas's Health Crisis
Leigh's medical situation remains critical. We were finally able to establish care with a General Practitioner on a sliding scale, but we still have to pay market prices for her actual medications. Her GP has urgently referred her to a rheumatologist, a pulmonologist, and a pain clinic. We will have to negotiate a sliding scale for each of these specialists, but we still lack the funds to pay for the base services.
Her Rheumatoid Arthritis is aggressively attacking her system. Recent lab work ordered by her GP confirms severe, active inflammation throughout her body:
- Her White Blood Cell Count is drastically elevated at 20.0 Thousand/uL.
- Her Sed Rate (an indicator of inflammation) is high at 36 mm/h.
- Her C-Reactive Protein (a protein made by your liver in response to inflammation) is dangerously high at 41.6 mg/L.
- Her Absolute Neutrophil count is significantly elevated compared to the standard reference range of 1,500 to 7,800 cells/uL, measuring in at 16,860 cells/uL.
The doctor has prescribed a regimen of necessary medications to combat this, but it will cost several hundred dollars. We simply cannot afford them, and without them, Leigh is in constant, agonizing pain while her vital organs remain under attack.
While trying to care for Leigh and find work, my own health has taken a severe hit. The VA has been doing a good job treating me, but it is an uphill battle. I recently underwent an MRI and a CT scan which revealed a physical deformity that is the likely cause of my severe vertigo. Simultaneously, I am battling a deep sinus and inner ear infection. I am currently on a long-term regimen of antibiotics, steroids, and anti-nausea medication just to function.
The Bottom Line
We do not want to beg, but we are begging. We are staring down looming, immediate deadlines for our car insurance, our cell phone bill (which is our only lifeline for job hunting and doctors), our storage units, and the weekly $450 required to keep a roof over our heads.
Please, if you are able to spare anything, your donation will go directly toward keeping us off the streets in three weeks, paying for Leigh's lifesaving medications, and keeping our few remaining possessions safe.
If you cannot donate, please share this link with your family, friends, and networks. We are terrified, but we are still fighting. Thank you for reading, listening, and standing with us in our darkest hour.
You Can Help Us Today
The GoFundMe page, direct from here, is: https://gofund.me/55ba620e7
Please share this update far and wide. Someday, when the dust settles, we will pay this forward. Thank you, again, to every single person who has helped us.
Update on 13 July, 2026
Dear Friends, Family, and Supporters,
We are writing this update with heavy hearts to share the current reality of our struggle. As many of you know, we have been navigating the immense difficulty of homelessness while simultaneously managing complex health issues. We are currently living out of a hotel room in Nebraska, an expensive but necessary arrangement that costs us 1800 dollars every month. This situation is unsustainable and it is one of two urgent reasons we are reaching out for your continued compassion and support.
The second urgent reason involves the overwhelming medical costs directly related to Leigh's recent health crisis. The last two weeks have been terrifying for our family. Leigh has been to the emergency room three times in just four weeks. On the night of July 4, after a grueling 7 hours of initial tests in the ER, she was finally admitted. She was diagnosed with sepsis, along with severe complications affecting her heart and lungs. She was put on oxygen, administered heavy doses of steroids, and endured a hospital stay that lasted until Tuesday. Doctors ran a battery of tests to determine the root cause of her severe illness, and it appears we are dealing with serious, ongoing complications from her Rheumatoid Arthritis that continue to attack her vital organs.
Leigh is currently recuperating in our hotel room, but her journey toward stabilization is far from over. She now requires follow up care with a general practitioner, a pulmonologist, and a rheumatologist. It is absolutely critical that she meets with each of these three specialists to establish the care she desperately needs.
While we are applying for a sliding scale program at a new hospital this week, the reality is that we will still be required to pay for services, in addition to the mountain of bills already accumulating from her three emergency room visits and recent hospitalization. Furthermore, we face the added burden of paying for new prescriptions so we can follow the treatment strategy these medical professionals prescribe.
The financial strain has pushed us to a breaking point. When we visited the pharmacy to purchase eleven prescriptions, we were only able to pick up a small fraction of the medications Leigh requires because we simply did not have the funds to cover the total cost. After paying for what we could, we exhausted the little money we had left for food, leaving us with severely limited resources to keep ourselves nourished during her recovery.
The financial pressure extends to every corner of our lives right now. We have two cats who both require medication. While we were able to pay for Ernie's prescriptions, we do not have the funds for Willow's medication. On top of these immediate medical needs, we are facing looming deadlines for essential bills. Our phone bill is currently due, our car insurance has an impending deadline, and the rental fees for the storage units holding all of our earthly belongings are about to come due. Losing our stored belongings would be absolutely devastating to us.
In the middle of this medical and financial turmoil, we continue our desperate efforts to transition into stable housing. We are trying to reach compassionate private landlords who might be moved by our story and willing to work with the incentive programs available through SSVF, the Supportive Services for Veteran Families program. SSVF provides vital housing assistance and support services designed to help veterans and their families escape homelessness. We are currently trying to negotiate with them to continue our assistance, but the process has proven to be fickle and uncertain. To maximize our chances of finding a home, we need to place classified advertisements in local papers, hoping to get our information in front of the right landlord.
I am actively applying for remote software programming jobs and contract work that would allow me to work directly from the hotel. While I receive many leads every week, a solid opportunity has not yet materialized. I am applying relentlessly, but the immediate needs of basic survival are far outpacing our ability to generate income. Finding contract work or open positions in this rapidly evolving Artificial Intelligence landscape is challenging, as I must undergo training to acquire the new skills currently demanded by my field, and some of that training requires money we simply do not have.
A Personal Word From Leigh
Leigh wanted to share her own thoughts and experiences with you directly:
"I would like to express my deepest gratitude for the support and kindness I have received during a particularly challenging period.
Autoimmune diseases are cruel, extremely isolating, and very difficult to live with. Beyond the pain levels which are through the roof, and my realization that the diseases with which I live are attacking my vital organs, the stigma of being a sick woman at times seems more damaging than the diseases themselves. I am crushed under this weight. Many posts on my Facebook profile have comments that say I look well enough, but I am far from it. My heart is damaged, my lungs are scarred, my liver is compromised, and my spleen is enlarged. I have Hashimoto's, IBS, brain fog, and cluster headaches daily. My C1 and C2 vertebrae are damaged. My hands, feet, elbows, and knees are in such insurmountable pain that I cannot find the words to convey the full measure of what I am dealing with. All of this stems from the invisible diseases I suffer from daily.
These different types of autoimmune diseases have one thing that stays consistent, and that is the widespread lack of knowledge and understanding for these conditions, even among some medical providers. If I could get just one person to read and truly understand how difficult it is living with just one of these diseases, let alone the eight that make up my reality each and every day, not to mention all the secondary conditions they cause in my body, perhaps people would start to comprehend how evil these illnesses really are.
I live in constant pain. This is not just a minor ache or a scraped knee, but the kind of pain that at times makes you think about ending it all. It is the kind of pain that leaves you crying constantly. I have had two children, so I know childbearing pain. I have experienced a spinal headache due to leaking brain fluid. Those forms of pain could shut you down. But the pain I deal with daily is beyond those experiences because it is attacking my entire body, including my vital organs, muscles, bones, circulation, optical nerves, eyes, and even my skin. Under this intense agony, I am unable to focus on one specific area to try and manage it, because waves of tremendous pain wash over me everywhere. The pain never stops. Wave after wave simply overcomes me. There is not much medicine available that truly makes a difference, leaving you stuck in a vulnerable place. Then, to hear someone say that I do not look sick, or that because I am attending an event it cannot be that bad, is devastating. That is when the depression, anxiety, stress, and loss of will hit the hardest. People who know you would rather believe what they see than try to truly understand what is going on inside your body. I understand that if you do not know me, you could not possibly know what I am going through. But when I have explicitly explained my conditions and am still met with sweeping dismissals, it makes people like me feel totally and completely invisible, leaving very little hope to hang on to.
I recognize the invaluable role organizations play in assisting individuals in need. Nonetheless, it is evident that a more holistic approach is required to effectively address the multifaceted needs of individuals coping with physical and emotional hardships. Managing multiple autoimmune diseases poses daily challenges that substantially impact my functional capabilities. It is crucial to acknowledge that my limitations do not diminish my commitment or willingness to accept assistance. Rather, I require more substantial support than ever to effectively manage my condition. The notion that individuals with disabilities are indolent or lack dedication is not only misguided but also deeply damaging. Recent hospitalizations have underscored the importance of understanding and education in these matters. I strongly advocate for organizations to invest in training their advocates to gain a deeper understanding of their clients needs. Due to my health, tasks take longer to complete. This is not an excuse, but a testament to my resilience. The recent decision of one of our case workers to discontinue our support has left us without essential resources, thereby exacerbating our desperate situation. We are appealing this decision, but I am deeply concerned about accessing vital medical treatments due to financial constraints. I hope that our collective efforts will yield positive change. I implore service providers to take the time to truly comprehend the needs of their clients and listen attentively, taking notes as necessary, rather than making them feel like a burden, since nine out of ten individuals seeking assistance already harbor such feelings."
The Bottom Line
We urgently need financial help going forward. We are simply not out of this crisis. We deeply appreciate the amazing help we have been blessed with through the many funds already donated. However, the emergency is not over, despite our continued best efforts. We are exhausted and dismayed, yet we remain hopeful that our circumstances will change.
We are at a point where we cannot do this on our own. If you are able to donate to our campaign, please know that your contribution is going directly toward lifesaving medication, basic sustenance, keeping our belongings safe, and the urgent costs associated with securing a stable home. We are resilient and we are working tirelessly to change our circumstances, but we need your help to bridge this gap. Thank you for reading, for listening, and for standing with us during this incredibly difficult time.
You Can Help Us Today
The GoFundMe page, direct from here, is: https://gofund.me/c7173f5fd
Please share this update far and wide. Someday, when the dust settles, we will pay this forward. Thank you, again, to every single person who has helped us.
Update on 26 June, 2026
URGENT UPDATE: Terrifying Medical Setbacks, New Diagnoses, and Our Fight to Survive
Dear Friends, Family, and Supporters,
First, we want to start with a profound thank you. Because of those who recently donated to our GoFundMe, we were able to afford the immediate medications Leigh's emergency room doctor prescribed. Your generosity was a direct lifeline during a terrifying week.
Leigh is doing just a little better, but she is far from well. As anyone familiar with Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) knows, "normal" is not very nice--RA is hell. Unfortunately, the last few weeks have tested us beyond our limits, and we are coming to you with an urgent update on our situation.
Harrowing Medical Crisis
Leigh recently came down with a violent, aggressive upper respiratory infection and severe bronchitis. Mixed with her advanced, systemic RA, this put her in an incredibly vulnerable and dangerous place.
- June 18: We rushed Leigh to the ER for severe bronchitis. Tragically, the care she received was entirely dismissive. The doctor did no significant testing, ran no blood work, and barely examined her before sending her back to our hotel with basic antibiotics.
- June 23: Unsurprisingly, Leigh's illness escalated rapidly. We were forced to return to the ER, and this time, the news was deeply concerning.
During this second visit, extensive scans and testing revealed an entirely new set of worries we must now navigate. Scans showed definite lung damage with scarred tissue, as well as nodules on both sides of her lungs caused by the RA. Her blood work raised flags for potential kidney disease, and she is becoming severely anemic. She lacks sufficient plasma, putting her at a high risk for blood clots.
She was sent home with heavy prescriptions to knock out the respiratory infection and reduce the body-wide inflammation, including steroids like prednisone. Living in a small hotel room with absolutely no comfort makes battling these severe illnesses so much rougher. To make matters worse, I am now feeling the early signs of this same upper respiratory illness. I am hunkering down, resting, and taking in as much nutrition as I can muster so I can remain strong enough to care for Leigh.
The Mathematical Reality of Our Survival
We are fighting on multiple fronts right now, and the financial toll is mathematically impossible for us to conquer alone. To be fully transparent about why we so desperately need your help, here is what our current reality looks like:
My VA disability income provides us with $1,566 a month.
However, our bare-bones survival costs far exceed this:
- Temporary Shelter: We are spending roughly $1,800 a month just to live in this hotel room and stay off the streets.
- Basic Living Expenses: It costs us about $1,000 a month for our absolute essentials. This covers our modest food budget, keeping our cell phones active (critical for job hunting and doctors), car insurance, feline care, and the storage units holding the last of our earthly belongings.
This means we are starting every single month in a $1,234 deficit just to exist, before we even factor in Leigh's mounting medical bills, specialist visits, or the medications she urgently needs to stay alive.
Healthcare Catch-22
To make matters worse, we are trapped in a devastating bureaucratic gap. We were recently denied Medicare/Medicaid because my VA disability income, combined with the incredibly helpful GoFundMe donations we've received, puts us strictly "over the limit" to qualify. Yet, we do not make anywhere near enough to afford the monthly premiums of Obamacare (ACA). Leigh has no healthcare coverage, the VA does not cover her, and my fixed income cannot even cover a basic roof over our heads.
- Medical Costs: We desperately need to raise enough funds to pay out-of-pocket for a General Practitioner and a specialist RA doctor for Leigh, along with her ongoing medications. We are currently applying to hospitals for sliding-scale payment plans, but this is a long process. We need to have the funds raised and saved now so that the moment the hospital approves our plan, we can immediately pay and schedule her life-saving appointments.
- Feline Care: We are endlessly thankful that our cats are with us and we no longer have to pay exorbitant boarding fees! However, two of our three cats require daily medications that must be administered twice a day, which remains a strict ongoing cost.
Looking Forward: Employment and VA Progress
Despite the darkness, we are pushing forward with hope. I have officially filed for additional disabilities with the VA. While it could take months for them to assess my claims and reach a decision, it is in motion.
I also have several promising job leads. Since my work as a Senior Software Engineer is typically completely remote, I am working with my recruiter and contract management team to figure out a way to work part-time right here from the hotel, as we have reliable internet. I want nothing more than to get back to work and provide for my family.
You Can Help Us Today
We trust in God, and we are endlessly thankful for the friends, family, and kind strangers who are praying for us and helping with even the most meager of donations. What a journey this has been.
If you have the means, please consider donating today to help us cover Leigh's upcoming doctors, her medications, and our massive monthly survival deficit so we can make it through this transition.
The GoFundMe page, direct from here, is: https://gofund.me/8250bafdb
Please share this update far and wide. Someday, when the dust settles, we will pay this forward. Thank you, again, to every single person who has helped us.
Update on 14 June, 2026
Dear Friends, Family, and Supporters,
We are reaching out to you today with heavy hearts but an enduring hope. As we continue to navigate this incredibly difficult chapter here in Nebraska, our family is facing a new wave of overwhelming challenges. We are fighting with everything we have to keep our heads above water, but we have reached a point where we must ask for your urgent help once again.
First and most critically, Leigh's health remains our deepest concern. Her battle with aggressive, advanced stage Rheumatoid Arthritis is taking a severe toll on her daily life. Her pain is immense, and the visible changes to her bones are terrifying. We still urgently need to raise the funds for her to see a specialist Rheumatologist, complete vital laboratory tests at specialized facilities, and purchase the life saving medications she desperately needs. Because we fall into a devastating gap where she does not qualify for Medicare and the VA does not cover her care, these staggering costs fall entirely on our shoulders. To make matters even more critical, Leigh is now facing a severe dental emergency that requires immediate attention. The combined medical and dental costs are simply beyond our reach right now.
Our beloved feline family members also need your help. We are so grateful to have Ernie, Munchkin, and Willow under one roof with us, but Ernie and Willow both require essential medications to stay healthy. These monthly medication costs are necessary for their wellbeing, but they are stretching our already exhausted weekly budget to the breaking point.
At the same time, the reality of our displacement continues to weigh on us. We are falling behind on the essential bills that keep us connected and protect our remaining livelihood. Both our cell phone bills and our storage unit fees are now past due. Without our phones, we cannot communicate with doctors, potential landlords, or the veteran assistance programs we rely on. If we lose our storage units, we will permanently lose the last of our earthly belongings.
We want to completely reassure you that every single dollar you donate goes directly and immediately toward these specific, critical needs. Your generosity will directly pay for Leigh's doctors and medicines, her emergency dental care, our cats' vital prescriptions, and the past due bills that threaten to cut off our lifeline.
Please, if you have the means to spare even a small amount, your donation will have a profound and immediate impact on our survival. If you are unable to give financially, we humbly ask that you share our campaign with your network and keep our family in your prayers. Thank you for standing by us, for your endless compassion, and for helping us fight for Leigh's health and our family's future.
With deep gratitude,
Urgent Update: A Critical Fight for Leigh's Health, Good News for Ernie, and Our Path Forward
Dear Friends, Family, and Supporters,
We are reaching out today with a deeply critical and urgent update on our situation. While we have a mix of hopeful news and major breakthroughs, we are also facing our most daunting hurdle yet -- and we need your immediate help to get through it.
1. A Lifesaving Battle: Urgent Medical Care for Leigh
As many of you know, Leigh has been fighting a brutal, uphill battle with aggressive, advanced-stage Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA). The reality of her daily life is incredibly harsh right now. Her pain levels are through the roof, and the disease has progressed so aggressively that her bones are becoming visibly deformed.
We have reached a critical crossroads. Left unchecked, this aggressive progression is entirely life-threatening. The medical reality is clear: she needs her essential RA medications to slow this down and save her life.
There is a sliver of hope -- we finally have her scheduled to see a medical doctor to get re-prescribed the medication she desperately needs. However, the mountain of medical costs ahead of us is immense. We must raise funds immediately to cover the cost of upcoming specialist doctor visits, intensive lab work, and the expensive prescriptions themselves. The physical toll this is taking on her is devastating. We cannot afford to wait; we are relying on our GoFundMe campaign to cover these immediate, lifesaving medical expenses.
2. Some Wonderful News: Ernie is Home!
Amidst the heavy trials, we have a beautiful piece of good news that has brought immense comfort to our household. Our beloved cat, Ernie, is officially back with us! Having him home is a massive boost to our spirits, and practically, it is a tremendous relief to our budget. Having Ernie reunited with us is saving our family nearly $300 per week in boarding costs. We are so grateful to have him back where he belongs.
3. The Reality of Our Current Housing Situation
Despite the positive steps forward, the stark reality is that we are still living out of a hotel. While we continue to work daily alongside veteran programs and the VA to secure a stable, permanent home, the daily and weekly costs of hotel living are draining our limited resources. We urgently need your continued financial support just to keep the bills paid and a roof over our heads while we navigate this transition.
4. A Major Breakthrough for a Permanent Home
We have some incredible news regarding our housing search. We recently uncovered significant errors on our credit reports that were actively holding us back. We are currently in the process of getting those errors completely removed! Clearing this hurdle is a game-changer. It will fundamentally repair our records and drastically improve our chances of being accepted by rental companies and private landlords. We are closer than ever to securing a front door of our own, but we just need the safety net to survive the hotel costs until a lease is signed.
5. Watch Our Video Update
We want to share our journey directly with you. We have recorded a video update sharing more details about where we stand, Leigh's health, and our path forward. Please take a few minutes to watch it here:
How You Can Help Right Now
We are fighting with everything we have to stabilize our lives, get Leigh the medical intervention that will save her life, and cross the finish line into permanent housing. But we cannot do it alone.
* Donate: If you have the means, please donate to our campaign today. Every single dollar goes directly toward Leigh's medical appointments, her life-prolonging medication, and keeping us safe in our temporary lodging.
* Share: Please share this update and our video link with your network, on social media, and with anyone who might be moved to help a veteran family in a time of critical need.
* Share: Please share this update and our video link with your network, on social media, and with anyone who might be moved to help a veteran family in a time of critical need.
Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your ongoing prayers, love, and generosity. We are keeping the faith, and with your help, we will get Leigh the care she needs.
With deep gratitude,
Tomas and Leigh
Tomas and Leigh
UPDATE ON MAY 20, 2026:
Your generosity has been the actual ground beneath our feet during this long storm, and we are profoundly grateful for the love, prayers, and support you have poured into our family. Every donation and kind word has kept us moving forward, and we hold that kindness close to our hearts. This morning brings an entirely new chapter in our journey, and we are reaching out with this fresh update because we are standing at a critical turning point today, and we urgently need your help to cross the finish line.
NEW HOTEL AND ERNIE CAN COME HOME!
We have just moved into a different hotel that costs roughly the same as our previous one, but it comes with a beautiful blessing. In this new location, we are finally allowed to bring our beloved senior cat, Ernie, back to live with us. Starting today, our three felines, Ernie, Munchkin, and his sister Willow, can all be under one roof. Having Ernie back with us will save us just shy of three hundred dollars per week in boarding fees, which changes everything for our daily budget. However, there is a major catch, and we are running out of time. We have a current bill of just over five hundred dollars for Ernie's boarding up to this point. We must pay this bill in full today in order to release him. If we cannot clear this balance immediately, they will keep Ernie and begin the process of adopting him out to strangers. We absolutely cannot bear the thought of losing him, especially now that we have a safe place for him to stay. This is an urgent, heartfelt call for quick donations today so we can protect Ernie and reunite our family.
RENEWED HOUSING SEARCH STRATEGY
At the same time, the Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) program , along with the VA, are actively working with us to find a private landlord or landlady who will work with our specific situation. We are clarifying our history as there are mistakes that were made last year by our medical insurance provider, and those mistakes have impacted our ability to get housing. We ask that you please pray with us that this door finally opens so we can transition into a permanent house. Moving into a real home will allow so many of our crushing temporary expenses to vanish, including our storage units. Right now, we owe six hundred and fifty dollars on our storage bills. Because of this, we currently have no access to our things, and we are at risk of losing all of our earthly belongings permanently. We are fundraising today to clear this debt so we can protect our property.
LEIGH AND HER HEALTH UPDATE
Additionally, we are raising funds to address critical medical needs. We have found a doctor who will see Leigh for a cash payment to represcribe her necessary medications. If we can raise the funds for this appointment and the subsequent prescriptions, it will drastically improve her health situation as she manages rheumatoid arthritis, fibromyalgia, and diabetes.
PLEASE HELP TODAY!
We are asking you to please consider making a donation as soon as is humanly possible today to help us rescue Ernie, protect our belongings, and get Leigh her medicine. If you cannot give financially, please lift us up in prayer and share this campaign immediately with your entire network of family and friends. Your fast action today can change our lives by this evening. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for standing by us.