I never imagined I would discover three elderly people locked inside storage units.
Among them was my 91-year-old mother, Augie, a Korean War veteran suffering from pneumonia and severe dehydration. Another victim was Fern, an 83-year-old woman with dementia who believed she was still living in 1985.
I immediately called 911.
All three were rushed to the hospital. Doctors warned that Augie might not have survived another week without help.
The investigation uncovered a horrifying scam. Tammy and Buddy had advertised a fake senior living facility, charging families $1,400 a month while keeping elderly residents in storage units.
They had also stolen the victims’ Social Security payments and Augie’s VA pension, using the money to fund their expensive lifestyle.
Both were arrested for elder abuse, fraud, theft, and unlawful restraint. They eventually pleaded guilty and received prison sentences.
Thankfully, the victims began rebuilding their lives. My mother regained control of her finances and returned to her own home. Fern’s daughter came from Arizona to bring her home, while Augie recovered and moved into a veterans’ home overlooking the lake.
I transferred to a shore assignment in Erie so I could visit my mother every day. I also continued visiting Augie every Sunday.
On Veterans Day, I proudly pushed him through the local parade. Wearing his Army cap and Purple Heart, he became emotional when a young boy stopped to salute him.
“Two months ago, I thought I’d die forgotten in a storage unit,” he told me.
I promised him that would never happen again.
They had taken away their dignity, their money, and their freedom. But they would never have to face that darkness alone again.