My name is Anthony Anderson. Me and my Late Wife have been on a interesting ride together over the past 8 years. Raising 3 daughters (Micalea, Anthonia, and Adriana) together (ages 7,6, and 5) we have been through the usual ups and downs any relationship faces. The biggest challenge at the time was 2 years ago when I suffered a debilitating injury (severe tendonitis in my feet) and was placed on bed rest for 6 months and couldn't get back to work for over a year and a half. Being an Independent Medical Courier (who consistently like a mad man drove all over Texas working) I did not do the responsible thing and purchase disability insurance, so I had no income coming in. Call it being young and dumb thinking I'm in perfect shape and "it won't happen to me".
What saved us is the fact that my small business received 24 months of working capital with the SBA's EIDL Program during the Pandemic. My business was a certified Veteran and Minority Owned Business. If my business wasn't awarded that, we would of ended up in a homeless shelter while I recovered. So exactly two years later (two weeks before she passed) is when i told her with enthusiasm that I'm 100% healthy again and will be able to go back to work full time. For two weeks I went back to work knowing the trajectory of my Business was heading in the right direction again.
October.15, 2023 came around and we had the opportunity to spend our youngest daughters 5th birthday in downtown San Antonio. We had a blast. Took the girls to the Alamo, ate at RainForest cafe, and rode the horse and carriage together around town. Not only was this a first for our girls, but it was a first for Angie. She never got to enjoy a lot as a child, her family never had extra money. Angie told me "you know I always wanted to do this". It made me feel so great because I just added this experience to many of the countless other first time experiences she had with me. I introduced her to a new lifestyle and I'm so fortunate I was able to give her the best of me.
The very next day on Oct.16, 2023 right before I was going to work she had a heart attack in front of me and my 3 daughters. Devastated to say the least, I never imagined I'd be walking out the hospital with my 3 girls after we just saw mommy for the last time. Then to find out due to my financial struggles of getting back to work that her life insurance policy lapsed on September 28, 2023 was a big . I'm used to her being at home, home schooling our girls and taking care of daily tasks. With the situation I'm in I can't leave my girls because I don't have no one to consistently watch them that I trust. I need to work, but I also need to be with my girls who were noticeably effected by their mother passing in front of them. They don't want me to leave their sides. They always tell me "don't leave daddy we don't want you to leave us too".
It really is a tough situation right now. Bills are due and they don't care about what your going through. I'm currently working towards getting into schooling to get into he IT Field specializing in Data Science and AI. This is the way I need to go to ensure I'm able to be with them when needed from now on. It's hard to be flexible when I'm a professional driver who lives on the road, so a career change is of the upmost importance. In the meantime, if you can find it in your heart to please give what your able to, I promise you it is to help keep my family afloat so i can be with them during this time of transition.
Thank you very much for your time and compassion.
Anthony M. Anderson
