I am looking forward to seeing this episode. This happened in my town and I know of the family. I hope that all sides of the story are told.

I was at the estate sale at this house on Saturday and walking through the house gave me a sad feeling. When I saw the upcoming preview of Wednesdays show it sent a shiver down my spine. I go to a lot of estate sales, but this one seemed different...now I know why.

My husband's company relocated us in 95, there wasn't much choice in the matter, do it or lose your job they told him. We left our families,life long friends and the home our children lived in all their lives. Our friends thought we were fortunate because the relocation offered a better life, a bigger home and a warmer climate, and we thought so to. It was very hard like most families that are relocated, to get use to things, especially for our children. We had to start our lives all over again. We are, I believe, to be adaptable, social people, so we made the best of it and were greatful for the opportunity to meet new people and live in a new state. Three short years later my husband was let go. The company's structure changed and because his presence was not made on a daily basis, the new corporate officers didn't know him. After 8 years of sacrificing weekends, vacation time and traveling more than 200 days out of the year, he was fired. He was given two months severance, that's it. The new home we had just purchased had a brand new mortgage we could no longer afford. Our house back home the company had offered to rent for us for the executives was no longer being paid for so we had to sell it. The selling market in 97 was similar to how it is now, so we owed the bank after we sold it. Everyday my husband and I felt as though we were drowing more and more each day in debt. We sold everything we could sell, with two small children, we made sure they could not sense what was going on. Many times my husband and I had cereal for breakfast, lunch and dinner in order to pay the electricity, but many times it was cut off. Our phones were disconnected and the car I used to travel to work each day was repossessed. Friends and family never noticed our struggle because we knew they always had had less then we did, how could we ask them for help. I remember being hungry at work because I had no money for lunch, even though I made $30,000 a year. Strangely enough, , my husband and I never fought about our losses because we knew we only had each other and that things were so low it could only go up....in fact we often laughed about it and then cried. But to this minute, we cannot speak or think about it without crying, not because of the home we loved and lost or the hunger pains and shame we went through, but because of the feeling of hopelessness and frustration. How easily we lost everything, in a matter of two years a family making over $300,000, property owners and good savers came a month short of becoming homeless. Thank god, and only god, that my husband was able to find a job and I was able to work an additional one. We sold our home and moved into a much smaller one, investing our money wisely, Once the housing market got much better we sold it and purchased another one with what we gained. Now we still live from pay check to paycheck, after 5 years we still cannot catch up after the damage that was done, but we have no credit debt, we can afford the home we live in and we have more then cereal in our bellies each night. We're thankful our family stayed together, that's what got us through it all.

Wow, stay strong and loving. What a wonderful boost you have probably given to some other here reading and feeling that their whole world is caving in. I wish all blessings on you and yours.

My husband was killed 36 days after we were married. Bills were in my name, but he made over $100k a year. The house was in his name, and I sold mine to move in with him. 80% of his $200k life insurance went to his son and parents, plus 100% of $100k policy I was unaware of. I found out I was pregnant the day after Christmas. His daughter and I get social security but that is less than $30k a year. My older daughter who was 6 at the time got nothing because we hadn't finished the adoption process. I paid for the funeral and outstanding bills with my 20%. His parents paid for nothing, let his house go into foreclosure, and wouldn't give me any furniture. Since he was killed on the 30th, I had no insurance almost immediately. We were homeless and lived with family for a few months until I could find an apartment and a job. I had not worked since February of that year.

My advice to my friends is to make sure all your affairs are in order because you never know what can happen. Make sure your will includes everyone you want to be covered, and is current. Take care of all paperwork immediately. If you have debt, put it in both names. Update insurance policies and keep the current also.

Losing my husband was difficult enough. Having to deal with everything that followed made it much worse.

These stories are so scarey. I feel quite sick after reading them. I too am in a terrible position at the moment and have no Idea what is going to happen. My husband, (now separated), is an alcoholic, he is in a good place now and hopes to have a good life in the future. We now live in New Zealand, have been here for four years. We came from the Uk. My husband made some very rash desicions with our money and we have lost every thing. I have two children, no where to live and no job. I am so lonely as I was not able to make friends because of his drinking. He just hated every one. I am glad that he is getting help but I still leaves me and the kids with nothing and no where to go. I can't afford to go home to my family as we have no money now. It is so scarey and life seems so cruel at the moment. I am on my own and frightened. I am job hunting and hope that I can make friends that way. I wish I could see my family again though. My 45 year old brother died and I wasn't able to go back home. I feel crushed and naked and totaly alone. I am better than I was a year ago as I am not with my husband any more. I am trying to find me again. I have sold furniture to buy the kids school clothes and I have just sold the last of my nice jewelry so I can buy the school books. It is so hard at the moment but I have hope and just keep telling myself that I will come out of this and I will be happy. My children are so fantastic and we can at least smile. I am positive about our future because I have to be.

My conclusion from this and similar stories is DON'T HAVE A FAMILY! Or at least just have a small one.

I heard about the estate sale too late. I knew that they had a beautiful house. All of Joe's inticate wood work, statues, nick nacks, etc. I wonder if they will show her closet of clothes and shoes she puchased on thier credit card. Joe was a very nice man who obviously was in dispare over his current situation. Ya just never know what will happen tomorrow. I feel bad for the children - they are beautifil, kind and innocent in this.

Oh so interesting. This is in my neighborhood and it will be interesting to see what parts of this story actually come out on TV tomorrow. There are soooo many more parts to this story that will probably never be told. The thing is, so many people have turned their backs when they have themselves witnessed and spoken to other people about the abusive situations that have happened over the years with this family, and have not done anything to remedy it, but now, all of a sudden it is a tragedy!! Only a few lone soles who actually cared about the safety of the kids actually tried to speak up about the problems that were unfolding for many many years first and foremost with the parents and then to the police. . . . but it would seem that there isn't much that could be done except by perhaps one responsibile parent that also let these things happen to their family (yes, there were two parents involved for years in this abusive relationship and accepted the wrongs and misdeed, as their part of life also. She was not blind to the life they led.) It is sad to see this exploited on tv but there are so many willing participants to this story.

I hope you blessed his family and move on. What kind of folk would allow their son's family to experience unnecessary hardship?

Why not to have a family? that's not the problem. Life comes at you whether or not you have a family, having a job or some type of financial stability is what it's all about in case of hard times.

It happened to me eleven years ago and I am still digging out of debt. Financially my life has been a nightmare,I am still paying off credit cards that were opened in my name without my knowledge. According to the banks that approved the cards it's not identity theft if your spouse opens a card in your name without your knowledge. We had lost our home, had unpaid taxes, mountains of credit card debt and the life insurance policies were never paid. At the time of his death I was making 25,000. a year and had no money of my own. He controlled the money and was supposed to be paying the bills and saving for a down payment on another home.Instead he was into multi level marketing and he was sending them all of our money to buy cassette tapes, books and sales leads all of which I found out about after he died.When he died there were no savings and $175.00 in the checking acct.I had to deal with three kids who had lost their father and were devastated,the tax man and the credit card banks, and how to survive on what I made and and his ss that the children got, which was never enough at the end of the day. I had written to the Oprah show years ago to do a show on this for women in this kind of crisis I know that I could have used the advice back then and I can still use some advice today.

Where do I start, my life doesn't sound much different other than the fact my husband only wishes he were dead. Due to spinal degeneration disease and two surgerys he was forced to file SS Disability in 2002. He has now been confined to a wheelchair for a little over two years and I am home with him now pretty much 24 - 7 . Stuck between an rock and hard place. There is no pay for a spouse who provides constant care , and even if I could find work (which there is little of in our area ) a minimum wage job for me would put us over the income limits for what little medical assistance he gets from the state. Thought about divorce ( on paper only) but then his income as a single person would be to much and knock him out of the assistance. There are so many things that they don't consider financially when trying to get state aide ,example, Indiana requires all drivers to be insured , yet there is no allowance for the cost.
I have a son that is a senior in high school this year , but since he is past 19 yrs and 2 months we no longer can receive SS benifits for him. He plans to go to college this fall for Diseal Mechanics yet I don't know where I am going to find the funds for the tools he must have before August. Praying that grants and scholarships cover the tuition, room and meals.
He is so proud that my husband raised him to be a responsiable young man that he goes to court tomorrow ( Valentines Day ) for the final hearing to change his name.
Oh well , I could go on and on and on , but you get the picture.
I pray for a medical miracle , law changes , and a home modification makeover , and a Handicap Van on a daily basis.
I can't wait to watch todays show to see if there is a solution that I have missed!