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Help WWII Vet and his sweetheart

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He's a 92 year old WWII Veteran, she's been his sweetheart for the last 69 years. She has to go to dialysis three days out of the week.  This due to a prescribed medication with side effects gone wrong. He goes with her and stays by her side.  They've always lived independently but just recently she fell and broke her hip. I know it's a familiar story. But please keep reading.

Margaret and Bill Melander are my aunt and uncle. They have no children of their own so my brother and I have always looked upon them as our second set of parents. They were always there for us, through our growing years, through broken hearts, through our marriages. Always ready to lend a hand if needed, always there with their love. If you were to put a picture to the word love, their faces would be what you see. They really have never been apart so together they make one whole person. It's very hard right now to see them struggle with being apart while my aunt recovers in a nursing facility. Still, every morning, my brother drives my uncle over there to be with her for the entire day. They would perish if they had to spend any length of time apart.

My uncle has had many honors. He was with the brigade that stormed the beach at Normandy. He almost lost his life there when he jumped into the waters with full gear sinking to the bottom. Luckily he was pulled to safety. During the battle he was hit with shrapnel which is still in his ankle giving him pain and swelling to this day. He was awarded the purple heart among many other metals. His heroics did not save him from years of suffering with PTSD. Although he gave so bravely to his country, he doesn't receive much today in return. It's sad when our military war heroes are forgotten, especially in their time of need. And through all of this, she waited for him to return to her, always her hero.

Their house is in serious need of repair since they neither had the energy nor the money to keep it up through the years. We didn't even know how bad it was because they never asked for help. They won't be able to go back there and unfortunately, it is going to take a lot of money to even fix it up to sell it. Their monthly income isn't enough to pay for these repairs and they need the money from the sale of the house in order to go into an assisted living facility. Even at that, the cost per month is approximately $10,000 which won't get them very far. Neither my brother nor I have any money to put into it. We survive day to day just like most of the people we know. There isn't any space left in our homes for them to come and live either. We won't abandon them so we need a new plan.

We are hoping to raise the money needed to fix up their home so we can sell it plus extra to get them through the huge expense of assisted living. When you live as long as they have, you should be rewarded for getting this far, staying married, staying true and still staying kind. It's an injustice to see them struggle this way. They are scared, this will be a big life change.

He served in the war to keep us free, she kept their love warm and true in her heart. The remaining years they have together should be happy and carefree. Please help us to help them achieve that. It's within reach if we all work together. Just a little bit from all those who read this story and admire them for enduring life's hardships and triumphs. I thank you, and may God Bless.

Organizer

Maria Filosa
Organizer
Martins Creek, PA

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