VFW Unmet Needs Assists Family in Crisis

Aug 05, 2015

The past few years have been tough ones for the Robinson family of Fort Mitchell, Alabama.

In 2012, a house fire ravaged their home, leaving Marlin and Shay and their seven children with nowhere to go … and no funds to get there.

Now Marlin, an 18-year military member, is fighting a new battle. With a 90% disability rating from the VA, Marlin was supposed to be medically retired from the Reserves, but his retirement benefits have yet to come through.

“He came back from Afghanistan and just couldn’t get right,” said Shay. “He would fight in his sleep, didn’t want to be around people and he couldn’t connect with me and the kids … that frustrated him bad.”

Marlin suffers from a long list of service-related conditions: sleep apnea, PTSD, migraines, night seizures, emotional problems, and knee, back and feet pain.

To top it off, Shay’s father passed away in March 2015.

“I’m still trying to get his cremation paid for,” said Shay. “I had to do all his stuff and didn't have the funds. Now we have more money put out that we didn’t have to start with.”

After years of financial stress, rebuilding their lives after a house fire and a devastating loss, the Robinson family finally caught a break—a VFW Unmet Needs grant.

The grant paid for the past-due truck bill and bought food for the struggling family.

“It means a lot to us that the VFW was there to help,” said Shay. “It takes some of the stress off our family.”