A Toms River, New Jersey Family Is In A Race Against Time To Save Their Home
In Toms River, the Stamatogiannis family has had their share of challenges and now the son is asking for last minute help to save their home.
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Heather Stamatogiannis is a widow, mom of three and is battling illness of her own, on top of that, she is in danger of losing their family home. Heather lost her husband on Christmas when she was just 32 years old. She was suddenly a widow, now raising three children by herself, one of which is severely handicapped. Her daughter, Brianna has Down syndrome, epilepsy, and Graves disease and suffers as many as 100 seizures a day. She is in a wheelchair and partially paralyzed. Heather, the mom, is battling systemic lupus and fibromyalgia herself, preventing her from being able to work.
Now, even though the house is paid off, the family is facing the prospect of losing their home due to a property tax lien that was sold. If they don't get the 25K they need for the lien by October 15th, they will be evicted. That’s why her son Andrew sprung into action with a GoFundMe campaign to help his mom. The Social Security Disability Insurance that Heather receives is not going to be enough to pay the tax lien. Andrew says that his mom has always taken such good care of him, and now he is trying to save her.
Their home is a ranch that the family has lived in for over twenty years, it was built by her husband, John before he died in 2009 of pancreatic cancer.
The couple met when she worked for him as a waitress at the Plaza Diner in Lakehurst.
Andrew said they have tried many avenues before turning to GoFundMe for help. He said that if he can get his mother through this crisis of repaying the tax lien, he has plan in place to make sure she is never in the situation again. It appeared at last check of the GoFundMe that they are almost half way there but the clock is ticking.
Those who wish to help can contribute to the GoFundMe here.
You can read more about this family’s dire situation here.