Bankruptcy forces 89-year-old WWII vet from home

[Hum]

HELENA, MT ? A World War II veteran who lists a $981 monthly Social Security check as his only income has had to move out of his western Montana home after his late wife's medical bills led him to file for bankruptcy.

Warren Bodeker, 89, was ordered by a bankruptcy judge to leave the home that he and his wife built in Plains. His case has gone viral on the Internet after the group Oathkeepers posted a YouTube video featuring him and wrote a sympathetic account of his story on its website.

Bodeker, who has prostate cancer and has been staying with friends, said he is tired from the months-long legal fight, but hopes that he can halt the sale of his home before it goes through at the end of the month.

"They need to stop this sale of this property," he said Friday. "The price is wrong, and it will leave me with no money. There will be nothing left. I'm not going to have anything."

Bodeker said the home and its 10-acre property is worth more than $300,000. The Bigfork attorney overseeing his bankruptcy case is selling it for $155,000.

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[Growled Member]

Poor fellow. Heck of a way to spend your last years.

[Detection]

Disgusting, some rules should be bent for cases like this, I hope the publicity pulls in enough donations to save his home

[br0adband]

Just another reason this country (and this world, for the most part) sucks, more every second.

My Dad fought in WWII and survived it (was stationed on a carrier in the Pacific, went through dozens of battles during those years), then went into the Korean conflict and fought there and survived that then finally civil service for government till he passed away in 1982. When he died he had 392 days of sick leave accrued - he could have called in "sick" one day and not gone back for over a year and been paid for it.

Did my Mom get any benefits after his death, any part of that back pay and accrued sick leave?

Not one damned cent.

"America... it's a free country, as long as you can afford it." <<<--- This is what I've been saying since he died, I have no reason to change it, and in fact things are getting much worse.

One look at the OP's link/story is proof of that.

[moloko]

How is this not paid off yet? If you do not own a place by now...better just to rent. Also veteran hospitals are some of the cheapest in the usa and work around the pay of people retired. My grandfather hand cancer and heart disease and had to pay nothing when he went to the hospital. How can this guy run up bills so much? yeah it sucks that he is getting kicked out but this is happening to 1000's of people in the usa right now. Just because he is a veteran this is making news.

My Dad fought in WWII and survived it (was stationed on a carrier in the Pacific, went through dozens of battles during those years), then went into the Korean conflict and fought there and survived that then finally civil service for government till he passed away in 1982. When he died he had 392 days of sick leave accrued - he could have called in "sick" one day and not gone back for over a year and been paid for it.

Did my Mom get any benefits after his death, any part of that back pay and accrued sick leave?

Not one damned cent.

Your dad should of taken more sick days. Cannot cash those out. As a veterqn myself why should my love ones get my sick back days? They did get paid for his life insurance that im sure he had maxed out yes? I do believe the government should give us veterans benefits after we retire from the miltiary but after death..the familys...no. I do not think they should be supported. That is up to the service member to provide for them.

[Order_66]

The government and the media in this country is more concerned with oil, war and giving special rights and privileges to gays than they are with taking care of those who served, fought and even died for this country.

[Melfster]

This is how healthcare system works in the US. This really shouldn't be news. I don't care if your world war 2 vet or convicted criminal its just the way is. Rules should never be bent thats how you get into trouble. If you don't like it then change the rules.

[ArialBlue]

This is how healthcare system works in the US. This really shouldn't be news. I don't care if your world war 2 vet or convicted criminal its just the way is. Rules should never be bent thats how you get into trouble. If you don't like it then change the rules.

Yep, this is perfectly acceptable .

[FloatingFatMan]

This is how healthcare system works in the US. This really shouldn't be news. I don't care if your world war 2 vet or convicted criminal its just the way is. Rules should never be bent thats how you get into trouble. If you don't like it then change the rules.

A perfectly fair point; but the bankruptcy lawyer should NOT be selling this guys property for so little. They should be required to list it for the market value, not just for what's owed. At least then the guy would have something to live on afterwards.

[Azies]

Good old Capitalism, **** on the people who fought for your freedom in the name of profit.

[br0adband]

Your dad should of taken more sick days. Cannot cash those out. As a veterqn myself why should my love ones get my sick back days? They did get paid for his life insurance that im sure he had maxed out yes? I do believe the government should give us veterans benefits after we retire from the miltiary but after death..the familys...no. I do not think they should be supported. That is up to the service member to provide for them.

While things change over time, and rules don't stick, when my Dad signed up and joined the Navy in 1934 he was assured his family would be taken care of, period. It was part of the written contract he agreed to and signed when he served his country with honor for 50+ years in a variety of roles and tasks.

Unfortunately, it's not like the government keeps its promises to those who serve anymore. That stopped decades past... and it'll never come around again.