Just ran across this on twitter and thought I'd share it here as I found this story to be both sad and inspiring at the same time. Not usually a big fan of these campaigns but once in awhile one connects with me. This one did because this kid is coming to Purdue so I thought I'd share here in case anyone would be compelled to chip in or even just take a moment to offer up some prayers for this young man.
Story from the site:
Ethan is a student of mine at Southport High School in Indianapolis. He is currently a senior working toward an honors diploma and has been accepted at Purdue University in West Lafayette to major in Honors Applied Physics. He plans to be an astrophysicist--and trust me, if anyone can, it's Ethan. He loves math and science, invents ideas quickly while sitting in a classroom, enjoys weightlifting, and has a lovely personality.
Life hasn't always been great for Ethan and he's made a lot of progress in terms of growing into the young adult that he is today. In middle school, things were rocky for him behaviorally, but now he is 18 years old, intelligent, and has risen above the things in life he was dealt. Despite struggles from time to time, Ethan became the young man that he is and he loved his mother very much and relied on her for support; both emotionally and financially, since his father is not around.
Last week, Ethan's life was tragically turned upside down. While he was sitting in my classroom working on his online Calculus class for dual credit, he received a call to come to the office and was met there by a police chaplain. His mother Laura, who was reported missing two days prior, had been found deceased. He is still waiting on an official report to determine her cause of death. Ethan was the next-of-kin that had to be notified of her death and is now facing his future alone, which has to be terrifying.
This vibrant, young man with high aspirations for life has suddenly been handed a lot of heavy, adult life to deal with. His younger sister is now living with her father, but Ethan still has to take on a mortgage payment; electricity, water, sewer, phone, cable, grocery, gas, and internet bills; and car insurance all on his own with only a part-time job at Gander Mountain to support him. To his knowledge, his mother did not have a life insurance policy, although he is still looking into it to be certain. Additionally, his mother did not fill out his 21st Century Scholars application in middle school, despite him rpeatedly taking it home, so he has to pay for his own college. (The school is working on this issue...) This is devasting news to myself and his other teachers, but more importantly to him! This young man is trying to attend college and make something of himself and now life is truly getting difficult for him. He thanks his lucky stars that his sister has her father to go to for support in this time.
With all this being said, Ethan now faces the threat of needing to move during his senior year of high school, although his mortgage payment is comparable to apartment rental costs. He is very worried. He planned to move away for college, but it isn't time for that yet and he is fearful of his ability to have a place to live for the remainder of this school year. Also, having a house foreclosed on at the age of 18 could be an extreme detriment to his future. Other teachers, staff, and I are working with him to help guide him through things he doesn't already know as much as possible, but what he truly needs is some financial help from more people. We can give some, but we are a small few.
After the passing of his mother, Ethan has been devasted, even if he tries not to show it. Everything he's had to deal with is causing him to get his schoolwork backed up, so he feels like he is constantly playing catch up. I fear that if he has to increase his work hours to keep his head above water financially, that his schooling might slip. Ethan is a genius (seriously...freaky smart) and I would hate for that to happen to him.
If you have anything at all that you could donate to this student to help continue his future, I know he would be most appreciative. Once some collects on here, I will withdraw it and give it to him so he can start paying bills. He is needing money for groceries, utilities, mortgage payments, gas for his car, etc. and he hates to ask for it. (He did, however, grant me permission to share his story and photos since I was set on helping him.) ANYTHING, even a dollar, adds up. Please, if you have it; help. If you cannot donate, kindly share so that others might.
Story from the site:
Ethan is a student of mine at Southport High School in Indianapolis. He is currently a senior working toward an honors diploma and has been accepted at Purdue University in West Lafayette to major in Honors Applied Physics. He plans to be an astrophysicist--and trust me, if anyone can, it's Ethan. He loves math and science, invents ideas quickly while sitting in a classroom, enjoys weightlifting, and has a lovely personality.
Life hasn't always been great for Ethan and he's made a lot of progress in terms of growing into the young adult that he is today. In middle school, things were rocky for him behaviorally, but now he is 18 years old, intelligent, and has risen above the things in life he was dealt. Despite struggles from time to time, Ethan became the young man that he is and he loved his mother very much and relied on her for support; both emotionally and financially, since his father is not around.
Last week, Ethan's life was tragically turned upside down. While he was sitting in my classroom working on his online Calculus class for dual credit, he received a call to come to the office and was met there by a police chaplain. His mother Laura, who was reported missing two days prior, had been found deceased. He is still waiting on an official report to determine her cause of death. Ethan was the next-of-kin that had to be notified of her death and is now facing his future alone, which has to be terrifying.
This vibrant, young man with high aspirations for life has suddenly been handed a lot of heavy, adult life to deal with. His younger sister is now living with her father, but Ethan still has to take on a mortgage payment; electricity, water, sewer, phone, cable, grocery, gas, and internet bills; and car insurance all on his own with only a part-time job at Gander Mountain to support him. To his knowledge, his mother did not have a life insurance policy, although he is still looking into it to be certain. Additionally, his mother did not fill out his 21st Century Scholars application in middle school, despite him rpeatedly taking it home, so he has to pay for his own college. (The school is working on this issue...) This is devasting news to myself and his other teachers, but more importantly to him! This young man is trying to attend college and make something of himself and now life is truly getting difficult for him. He thanks his lucky stars that his sister has her father to go to for support in this time.
With all this being said, Ethan now faces the threat of needing to move during his senior year of high school, although his mortgage payment is comparable to apartment rental costs. He is very worried. He planned to move away for college, but it isn't time for that yet and he is fearful of his ability to have a place to live for the remainder of this school year. Also, having a house foreclosed on at the age of 18 could be an extreme detriment to his future. Other teachers, staff, and I are working with him to help guide him through things he doesn't already know as much as possible, but what he truly needs is some financial help from more people. We can give some, but we are a small few.
After the passing of his mother, Ethan has been devasted, even if he tries not to show it. Everything he's had to deal with is causing him to get his schoolwork backed up, so he feels like he is constantly playing catch up. I fear that if he has to increase his work hours to keep his head above water financially, that his schooling might slip. Ethan is a genius (seriously...freaky smart) and I would hate for that to happen to him.
If you have anything at all that you could donate to this student to help continue his future, I know he would be most appreciative. Once some collects on here, I will withdraw it and give it to him so he can start paying bills. He is needing money for groceries, utilities, mortgage payments, gas for his car, etc. and he hates to ask for it. (He did, however, grant me permission to share his story and photos since I was set on helping him.) ANYTHING, even a dollar, adds up. Please, if you have it; help. If you cannot donate, kindly share so that others might.
