Posted on 03/15/2018 4:36:40 PM PDT by Mariner
MECKLENBURG COUNTY, Va. —
A Mecklenburg County man said he was not prepared for what he saw the day he approached a neighbor's home.
Chris Thomas called it a sad story that he just cannot get out of his head.
In October, Thomas stumbled upon a Vietnam veteran who was living in squalor when he went to feed the veteran’s dogs that he initially encountered roaming the streets.
Thomas said a worker at a nearby convenience store told him the dogs belonged to the veteran, who was thought to have been sick and in the hospital.
Later that day, when Thomas and his wife showed up to feed the veteran's dogs, he said he found the man lying in his own waste, unable to move from his sofa.
“He was emaciated. He told me that he hadn’t eaten in at least two weeks. I kept calling social services and going up there, but nobody would return my calls. So, the only way I knew to get it out was social media,” Thomas said.
Thomas told the CBS 6 Problem Solvers that the highly-decorated veteran was living in a home with no phone, no television and, he believes, very limited contact with the outside world.
He said the man's home was littered with dog feces and trash.
After calling the Mecklenburg County Social Services Department, Thomas said the veteran was eventually taken to the hospital, then a nursing/rehab home.
Not long after that, he said he was blown away to learn the veteran was released from the nursing home, first to a motel and then back to his house. Thomas said a taxi cab spotted out in the man’s yard first caught his attention.
Then, he was outraged when he spotted the veteran parked in his wheelchair on the front porch.
(Excerpt) Read more at kcra.com ...
How about local Freepers?
This is just indecent.
RAT Shulkin needs a firing ASAP!
Sounds more local than VA...........
If this veteran is incapable of self-care he may need to be involuntarily committed until he is capable. A lot of jurisdictions are reluctant to do this but if it is the case, it needs to be done.
In-home care is the right answer.
He’ll never give up his dogs.
It could be as simple as a couple of old vets going by 3 times per week to clean up and cook.
As a Post commander of a VFW in VA, I just called a VFW in Mecklenberg County. It went to voice mail. If this happened in my part of the State I would be truly saddened. But it could happen because we can only help those who we know about and many veterans never come forward to let us know they need help.
Agreed. I’m no fan of Shulkin or the VA but this kind of stuff goes through channels until a resolution is reached. If this veteran is signing out of care facilities AMA it is going to be tough to get him the help he needs. This story is heavy on drama and light on details.
Thank you sir.
Please let us know the outcome?
Also, call the bar!
That’s where everyone is at 2000hrs.
If this was an Elderly Illegal Invader, this Story would be National News.
I’ve dealt with a lot of older veterans and know what curmudgeons they can be. If he is not willing to accept help inside the system he might be willing to accept help from fellow vets. I’ve seen a lot of that happen and it usually works better the social service agencies. Sad situation but if we live long enough, we get old and decrepit.
Yes, please keep us updated on the details. This story is very sad. I can’t believe that an illegal alien can report to the welfare office (at least in my state of PA) and automatically get three hundred dollars to tide themselves over, on the fast track to further benefits, and our veterans are in dire need. Sounds like this is also a mental health issue.
That’s why it’s up to us to help.
You can count on it. This breaks my heart! We still have WII vets pass in our community who we never knew. They never joined our organization or American Legion (which I and many of my comrades also belong to) and decided to just go on with their lives when they came home. We still go to the viewing and present a white bible to the family.
We got a call at the VFW last night from the son of a Marine.
He needed poll bearers
They will be there, but we can’t do it all.
curmudgeon was my first choice for a Freeper name when I decided to stop lurking. It was already taken.
One benefit a veteran has is treatment at any VA hospital. I imagine they all have an emergency room.
“but we can’t do it all”
And you can’t do anything about the stuff you don’t know about.
Thus my post.
Leftist social workers busy with illegals.
Guy needs to quit begging the uncaring and incompetent social services people.
Get up go get people at a Church and get er done.
Please let us know what happens.
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