Local computer company needs help. Cancer sucks!

Local veteran owned computer company needs help. Cancer sucks!

Eric Elliott of Computer Service NW is reaching out to see if he can get some help in saving his business. Unpaid taxes incurred during the pandemic, an ex-bookkeeper that embezzled money, and now, his spouse Dawn’s cancer is threatening the family business and I need help.

Reaching out is hard. I have always been the type to figure it out, someway…

But I have gotten to the point of if I don’t do something, I fear that I will really lose everything.

Feb 14th, it’s 3am in the morning and Dawn has woken up, the tumor is hurting and she needs to sit up to ease the pain. I feel her movement and I ask if there is anything I can do. The answer is no. Unfortunately, there isn't. Dawn has stage four non-small cell lung cancer and there really isn't anything. It has been 3.5 years since the diagnosis. We have been doing chemo, but have just finished with the last option. I lay there, wishing I could do something. I start thinking about finances, as usual. I need to work on Dawn’s burial expenses, I need to figure out some way to stay home and care for Dawn and I still need to run the business. Between Dawn’s needs, day-to-day expenses and a looming sales tax debt, cancer and money is all I think about.

Payroll for my little company is tomorrow, Feb 15 and the money I have in the bank needs to go toward the sales tax that is due. It was due two weeks ago and is jeopardizing the new payment arrangement with Washington Dept of Revenue. They want $3850 per month for 15 months. I did not mean to get behind on my sales tax, but during the pandemic, we were considered essential workers. Sales were lower and we struggled to stay afloat and we got behind. Now with penalties and interest, it is a big problem. I truly thought that the Dept of Revenue would have waived or forgiven the penalties and interest and given a business extra time to pay it back. After all, we were considered essential workers. There wasn’t unfortunately. So, I will pay my few employees and try to get the sales tax payment in also. I will not be paying myself, as usual.

In the short term, I am trying to raise money to help with the sales tax payment arrangement, help me to hire a part-time technician to do day-to-day customer repairs and to help with Dawn’s needs. I can do some computer repairs remotely from home to help, but my focus needs to be helping my wife. She would like to be buried with her family in Snohomish.

The idea of asking for help is really hard for me. I have always been the person helping others. I am hoping that my situation resonates with other people and they can help me take care of Dawn and save my business so I have something to go back to once she is gone. Thank you for reading and please help if you can.

Update 2/23/24

Dawn is having difficulty eating and drinking water and is unable to keep food down. This has been going on for 3 - 4 weeks and she is getting weaker. I am trying to find a few hours per day that I can leave home and work, but it is hard to leave her and focus on work. I need to work to pay for everything.

I went to make the first payment and discovered that the WA Dept of Revenue has already moved forward with default and is demanding the full amount of $61,443. The court date is set for late March so there is some time to raise the money. I am sending this story out to as many people as I can hoping that it resonates and the donations continue.

Thank you so much for the support so far and please forward to other people who might help. Again, this is so hard. Having your loved one dying, feeling helpless and having this imminent financial burden. Please help if you can. God bless you for reading.

2/27/24

Dawn has been able to eat very small amounts of food and water for a few days now and keep it down. She is still very weak unfortunately. I am doing my best to be there for her.

Thank you for the help from outside of GoFundMe.

There have been 3 additional donations totaling $1700.

Thank you so much for the help! I know I am still far short of what is needed, but I am hopeful.