Sudden eviction left a US veteran's family stranded on the streets. Calls from the community changed everything
Eighty-two-year-old Tom Berg, a veteran, is bedridden with multiple disabilities.
Stories of people getting evicted from their homes are never easy ones. But when a community steps in to embrace the evicted by lending a helping hand, it gives us a glimmer of hope for humanity. And that's exactly what happened to an elderly couple, Tom Berg and his wife, Marlene Berg of Vancouver, when people stepped in to offer help during a serious crisis on September 19.
Eighty-two-year-old Tom Berg, a veteran, is bedridden with multiple disabilities. Unfortunately, the couple’s water heater broke in January, which forced them to fall behind on rent after Tom’s extensive medical expenses. The husband and wife lived with their adult son and his nine-year-old grandson, when the courts ordered them out of their homes, where they had been living for 15 years. Despite never missing any payment and investing about $20,000 in repairs, they watched as their belongings were tossed to the street on September 2. The couple agreed that they owed money and planned to leave, but never imagined they would have to literally gather the pieces of their life along the way.
But soon after the news broke out, their community reached out to them to offer help. Additionally, the National Women’s Coalition Against Violence and Exploitation (NWCAVE) launched a fundraiser for the family. The fundraiser was able to raise more than $12,000 to help the family bounce back. Marleen, who was at a loss for words, thanked the community and said, "It’s just mind-boggling that people who don’t know you have responded like they have. We just really appreciate every single one." Other donations have covered the cost of two hotel rooms through October 1, providing temporary shelter for the family and their dog, Bella, while they work with the VA and other resources to secure permanent housing. As per the Washington state data, eviction filings continue to rise since the moratorium ended in 2021, and the state is already poised to surpass the record-high filings recorded in 2024.
A comprehensive survey conducted by Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences in 2023 found that around 830,000 renters over age 65 are threatened with eviction each year. This number accounts for about 2% of renters in this age group. However, in Tom and Marlene's case, the community coming together to support the elderly couple and their family stands as a right testament to kindness and the spirit of humanity. The fact that, despite everything, they're being taken care of by unknown individuals is a testament to how 'goodness' still exists and functions as a backbone of society. For as long as people reach out to help others, there might still be hope for us yet.
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