My wife submitted a letter to the editor of the Chicago Sun-Times this evening. I don't know if it will be published, but I felt is was very powerful and I wanted to post it here. It's in response to an article in Tuesday's edition titled, “Benefactor bails out deadbeat's ex-wife.”

This letter is in response to the article “Benefactor bails out deadbeat's ex-wife”(8/3/04). I have to say, a small part of me truly sympathizes with Victoria St. John. It must have felt paralyzing to be faced with lawsuits, divorce and custody battles as well as loss of home and business. But it seems to always work out, if you are of other means. Because in the end, the more wealthy you are, the easier to “bounce back”.

Ms. St. John still gets to keep her beautiful home and reopen her shops. The phone and lights will never be shut down. She will never be too cold in the winter, or too warm in the summer. She will never face the dreaded phone calls, many of us, without means, get, requiring an immediate payment in order to just keep the gas or power running.

I do not wish her bad luck. However, I am curious if she considered downsizing her living conditions, or selling off some possessions and canceling unneeded memberships. That is what many of us do, when faced with an insurmountable financial burden.

Less than two years ago, my now 41-year-old husband had a severe heart attack, lapsed into a coma and suffered a minor stroke before receiving a heart transplant. During that time we lost his income, our home and our insurance coverage. Since then, he has been unable to find work, due to his recovery needs. Currently, I am working full-time and care for our four children and my husband. We live on his disability checks and my small income. He has to rely on Medicaid to pay for his treatment and his prescription costs, that alone average over $2,000 a month. Because he receives disability (in the amount of just over $2,000 a month), we are forced to pay Medicaid a spend down of over $1,300 monthly. Although my children are on KidCare, I, personally, have no health coverage at this time.

We live in a three bedroom apartment in the north side and worry how to pay for rent, food, utilities and basic daily needs for a family of six, while giving over half of our income to Medicaid. The other choice is to pay over $2,000 in prescription cost for my husband to stay alive. Few companies are willing to take my husband on due to his stroke as well as the insurance cost to the employer. If he does manage to get a job, without insurance, he risks the likelihood of Medicaid rejecting him.

It isn’t that I’m jealous of Ms. St John. I’m glad that she will be able to continue to live in the lifestyle she is accustomed to. However, I find it rather odd that the Sun-Times portrays her as a poor victim who can only get by through the charity of strangers. Yes, she was in a “hole”, but so are many others. Some of their own doing and some by sheer misfortune. Most of us don’t have benefactors and we struggle through our lives with strength and dignity. I am glad that Victoria feels that has been able to grow as a person, I know I have.


Renee Zucker
Chicago

It may at times seem like she feels a little envious, but that really is not the case. It's more frustration that the Sun-Times considers her plight to be insurmountable, while less fortunate people are ignored. I have no bitterness towards the victim. I just truly hope she appeciates the gifts she's been given. But I do hold animosity to towards the Sun-Times.

As the Chicago newspaper that claims to be for all Chicagoans, they should know better.