Life Is Crazy And My Mom Has Bills

My family found ourselves in a position we could never imagine we would be in. My dad was a hard, honest worker all his life and worked so my family could have a better life than he had growing up. He was laid off at the age of 53 and tried to start a business. That may sound like a bad idea given the economy, but he was such an optimist. He thought if he did his best his business would pick up momentum. My dad gave all he had into his handyman business, House Doctors. He put all his money into it believing that hard work and trusting in others would bring the modest rewards he was looking for. Unfortunately, his trust was misplaced and an uncertain economy made building the business a challenging task. While dealing with the stress of work, he tried to quit smoking and was prescribed Chantix. Chantix has a blackbox warning which means a high suicide rate, and I think the stress of the business and the side effects of the drug created the perfect storm in my dad's mind and he decided he couldn't handle it anymore. My dad has been gone since January and it's been daily heartache ever since. My mother is left with absolutely nothing and the bills just keep coming in. It was so important to my dad- top priority even- that I keep going to school, and everything just keeps building up. I personally feel so embarrassed asking for help. I feel like it's not my place. I've always donated a dollar to St. Jude whenever the drive-thru worker asked, I always tip well at resturaunts, donate my old books and clothes, because I have always thought, "someone needs it more than me." But this time I have to swallow my pride and ask. My family needs help. I'm not asking for someone to magically fund my education or pay off the mortgage. I'm just asking for a little help, just to get my family over this hurdle, just until my mother has a better job, until I get a job, until we get back on our feet and create a new normal.