Legal retainer to get my kids home
Donation protected
My name is Richard Callahan; I am a gainfully employed man who is happily married to his wife Brandi, and the doting stepdaddy to their 10 year old daughter. Many of you who have been directed here by your own generosity, already know the intense and toxic environment my children from my previous marriage are currently stuck in. Many of you who may have happened here by chance would obviously have no clue of my backstory -- and therein lies the tale.
In a former life, I was married to my ex-wife, Kelly, for about 13 years. With her, I had two children -- Natasha, now 16, and Liam, currently 13. They live in South Dakota with the Mom. Regardless of this, I am still Dad, and stay in constant contact with them...no matter the geographical distance, whatever the means. Car travel, Messenger in the morning to say Good morning from my daughter; Snapchat or Messenger video chats, to discuss the school day, friends, homework, boys, girls, dorky toys, etc. The things that kids and parents who love sci-fi stuff talk about. It's a really good relationship we (my current Wife, and I) have with them, according to my kids. They need to be tended to, and they appreciate it immensely. They appreciate it, consequently, because the current environment they are in is a hostile environment that they require an immediate break from...
Kelly has a history of physically abusing me for over some combined 7 years out of 13, due to her love of hard alcohol... After having had enough of this, and realizing that I was not a good example of a healthy relationship for my children, I filed for divorce and moved in hopes of regrouping and getting my head straight to be a better dad, overall. In spite of my abuse, I never expected things to get as bad as they did with their mother, in regards to what my kids have had to suffer through while I played the standard loopdeeloop of legal court dates and mini battles that many are acquainted with sadly, in an effort to get my kids into the healthier environment they need. One that does not involve any more alcohol, shouting, or domineering presence from a boyfriend who has no relation to the children...and from a mother who ignores her children's wishes to be with us.
The kids have been put into a situation rife with motor vehicle accidents involving alcohol, constant arrests of their Mother, mental breakdowns and anxiety, and more than I can even remember to mention. They have now both been forced to grow up in two adults too fast, in a way that no parent should ever wish their child to grow up. They now have to take care of a 3 month old baby who is the daughter of their mother and her controlling, alcoholic boyfriend... Child Protection Services had been pulled into the matter, and the state of South Dakota has recommended that the children be sent home with the father while the mother irons out any and all issues resultant of her arrest on New Year's Day. As they squeaked by with a pass, but are still being actively monitored by the department of social Services, their mother no longer feels the need to send them here, even briefly, to decompress, get some sort of relief and therapy from the issues at home, and all of this while she herself has an opportunity to get their home environment straight, for the kids to go back to.
Meanwhile, she is still awaiting charges and potential jail time, related to one of her DUIs and constant violations of the South Dakota probationary programs.
We have tried to work with her, at the request of the court, so I didn't have to come to the point that it has come to... The point where I am now putting this GoFundMe together, asking any, many, and all of you that are willing, to help me and my family get these kids home into the environment that they deserve to be in. The legal retainer for this is $2500.00 -- it's twenty five hundred that, with everything else going on right now, and a wife at home temporarily on FMLA, I honestly can't scrape together fast enough, for it to have the effect that is desired as we have to strike fast. The time for "working this out" and being nice is done.
I would like to thank in advance any and all who are willing to contribute towards this cause; to say that your generosity is appreciated would be the understatement of the millennium. Good day, and good evening.
In a former life, I was married to my ex-wife, Kelly, for about 13 years. With her, I had two children -- Natasha, now 16, and Liam, currently 13. They live in South Dakota with the Mom. Regardless of this, I am still Dad, and stay in constant contact with them...no matter the geographical distance, whatever the means. Car travel, Messenger in the morning to say Good morning from my daughter; Snapchat or Messenger video chats, to discuss the school day, friends, homework, boys, girls, dorky toys, etc. The things that kids and parents who love sci-fi stuff talk about. It's a really good relationship we (my current Wife, and I) have with them, according to my kids. They need to be tended to, and they appreciate it immensely. They appreciate it, consequently, because the current environment they are in is a hostile environment that they require an immediate break from...
Kelly has a history of physically abusing me for over some combined 7 years out of 13, due to her love of hard alcohol... After having had enough of this, and realizing that I was not a good example of a healthy relationship for my children, I filed for divorce and moved in hopes of regrouping and getting my head straight to be a better dad, overall. In spite of my abuse, I never expected things to get as bad as they did with their mother, in regards to what my kids have had to suffer through while I played the standard loopdeeloop of legal court dates and mini battles that many are acquainted with sadly, in an effort to get my kids into the healthier environment they need. One that does not involve any more alcohol, shouting, or domineering presence from a boyfriend who has no relation to the children...and from a mother who ignores her children's wishes to be with us.
The kids have been put into a situation rife with motor vehicle accidents involving alcohol, constant arrests of their Mother, mental breakdowns and anxiety, and more than I can even remember to mention. They have now both been forced to grow up in two adults too fast, in a way that no parent should ever wish their child to grow up. They now have to take care of a 3 month old baby who is the daughter of their mother and her controlling, alcoholic boyfriend... Child Protection Services had been pulled into the matter, and the state of South Dakota has recommended that the children be sent home with the father while the mother irons out any and all issues resultant of her arrest on New Year's Day. As they squeaked by with a pass, but are still being actively monitored by the department of social Services, their mother no longer feels the need to send them here, even briefly, to decompress, get some sort of relief and therapy from the issues at home, and all of this while she herself has an opportunity to get their home environment straight, for the kids to go back to.
Meanwhile, she is still awaiting charges and potential jail time, related to one of her DUIs and constant violations of the South Dakota probationary programs.
We have tried to work with her, at the request of the court, so I didn't have to come to the point that it has come to... The point where I am now putting this GoFundMe together, asking any, many, and all of you that are willing, to help me and my family get these kids home into the environment that they deserve to be in. The legal retainer for this is $2500.00 -- it's twenty five hundred that, with everything else going on right now, and a wife at home temporarily on FMLA, I honestly can't scrape together fast enough, for it to have the effect that is desired as we have to strike fast. The time for "working this out" and being nice is done.
I would like to thank in advance any and all who are willing to contribute towards this cause; to say that your generosity is appreciated would be the understatement of the millennium. Good day, and good evening.
Organizer
Ricky Callahan
Organizer
Village of Germantown, WI