Please Save My Father!

Jul 23, 201617 min read

Deviation Actions

Published: Jul 23, 2016

7.4K Views

(Photos of my Dad fro 1993, 1999, 2000 and 2003- we have few photos after 2007 due to financial difficulties. My father is camera shy.)

Normally, I never ask for help because most people are hurting here and may not be able to help. My parents always raised me to self-sufficient, work diligently according to ethic (and more often, exhaustion because life is harsh) and live according to discipline.

But now we need help. We have no one to help us. No family, no friends (except you’uns here, namely the awesome angel that is the extraordinary charcoalfeather) to help us. We live in a small, rural town that is rife with corruption and nepotism.

Since November 9^th, 2015, my father, a remarkable man of 66 years of ages, was wrongfully evicted from his residence. I reside with my parents in our small, 2-bedroom apartment in Public Housing Project in our rural town of Lewistown, Pennsylvania.

Since December of 2008, we entered into Public Housing because our previous residence could no longer support our family due to severe dilapidation.

My father has been disabled since September 2005, when an industrial accident at his former workplace eventually ruined his health beyond repair and he wrongfully terminated without pay by his employers.

We have since survived on his SS income, stretching the limited allotment each month, often struggling to pay for basic, such as groceries and gas.*

However, this we can cope with.

But now my father is homeless.

Yes, he is homeless. HOMELESS. As without a home, NO shelter, nowhere to shower, eat, access his medications, nowhere to use the bathroom, save for two venues for public restrooms, such as the local Wal-Mart Store and the McDonalds’ in town.

My father was wrongfully evicted from his residence based on a FALSE allegation charge made by a Housing Maintenance worker and a H.U.D.-issued inspector.

At our first hearing, on March 3^rd, 2015, the Magistrate denied us the opportunity to provide our witness testimony and photographed evidence to counter and disprove the allegation charge. My father’s verdict was delivered unfairly, based solely on PERJURY and denial of Due Process of Law.

We appealed to Court of Common Pleas in our county on September 15, 2015.

We were then told the Court of Common Pleas denied our appeal due to a Failure to Respond to the Complaint Appeal issued on April 4, 2015. We never received or had knowledge of the issued Complaint of Appeal, despite the Magisterial Court and the opposing party claims they did issue the Complaint via U.S. Postal Mail.

Both judges presiding over the hearings of March 3^rd, 2015 and September 15^th, 2015 denied us the opportunity to present our testimony, but allowed the opposing party of the Public Housing Authority to deliver their own false allegations.

In essence, my father was wrongly convicted and evicted from the residence he dutifully paid rent and resided as a model tenant, based on false allegations- Perjury. Essentially, he was evicted on lies and false defamation of character charged by the Municipal authorities that is the Public Housing Authority of Mifflin County, Pennsylvania.

My father lived for several months at the local homeless shelter, unable to access his medications or have adequate resources to care his severe Ulcerative Colitis. The shelter was and remains under-equipped without fully-functioning bathroom facilities, heating and cooling systems.

On May 30, 2016, the local shelter forced my father into a deplorable state of homelessness. He is now living in his car, which does NOT have air-conditioning. Our car is a ’91 Spirit Dodge Chrysler which is falling apart. Even the doors are rusting. We have spent 1200 dollars since November trying to keep the car running.

For those living in the NE States, you understand how intense our heatwaves can become. Can you imagine being forced to live in a metallic deathtrap while the sun beats down? My father’s only shelter is our car, which is falling part.

He cannot access adequate water, food, and is denied access to medications, which require shade and refrigeration. My mother and I have been visiting him twice daily to provide whatever meals we can keep in our non-insulated Tupperware, plus bring whatever water carry in empty soda pop bottles. We try to refrigerate his medications in small iceboxes we lug with us whenever we visit him.

Part of the eviction’s penalty (cruel punishment) was that he is banned from even walking on a street that entails on Public Housing Authority. As a result, my mother and I are forced to walk down two blocks downhill to see my father.

My mother and I almost broke legs this winter, respectively, when we were forced to walk up and down this notorious hill during the ice freeze this past winter.

When we run out of gas money each month, we have to walk 2 ½ miles to the local Wal-Mart to bring his meals and medications. He is not even allowed to bring us groceries. My mother and I are forced to trudge our heavy groceries by hand up the two-block hill, or else by our small children’s wagon we have kept for emergency.

As a result form this forced hardship, my mother has torn the third disc on her vertebrae, and I myself suffer severe back pain and a sprained neck muscle from the strain of carrying and pulling groceries up this hill.

Since November 2015, I have been fighting to vindicate my father and return him to his rightful residence. I have been representing my father as Pro Se in appealing to the Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania.

My friend and closest confidant, charcoalfeather, has aided me immensely in building the Case Brief before the Commonwealth Court.

However, despite our best joint efforts in presenting a clear-cut Argument and Proof, the Commonwealth Court denied our Appeal, choosing to ignore the Perjury and the potential death of my father, and chose to enforce the lower courts’ decision to enforce the Writ of Possession.

Basically, the Commonwealth Court has sentence my father to an inevitable death, since he is forced to live in his car. Winter will kill him, if summer heat waves do not. The local shelter refuses to accept him again. We have tried the only two homeless shelters within 100 miles of where we live. They refuse to take him in, citing they have no openings. The shelter staff showed hostile discrimination towards my father during his six month stay.

My dad has suffered several near- heat strokes, internal bleeding due to stress and lack of access to proper bathroom facilities and his medications on time. He has been, since November 2015, hospitalized 3 times, plus 3 trips to the local Emergency Room at the Hospital.

My father’s character is impeccable.

When we lost our farm in ’94, my father worked 3 grueling jobs to keep a roof over our heads and clothes on backs, and food on the table. He ruined his health providing for his health, yet through it all, he never complained or resented our trials in life. Formerly, he served the town as a diligent police officer during the mid-80’s, volunteered and donated time and services at local churches, and volunteered for projects for Game and Wildlife, as one of his passions is wildlife and animals.

Regardless where we lived, he paid the rent on time and in full, was quiet, made repairs to keep the residence in premium condition, cleaned litter left by others, and resided as a model tenant.

For those of you who are fans of Captain America/Steve Rogers, my father is the closest living example of a real-life (albeit average human) Captain America/Steve Rogers. Aside from Rogers, my father is a father and husband not unlike the devoted Maes Hughes from Fullmetal Alchemist/Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood. So if you are familiar with these two characters, then you’ve met my father- just with an American Country strain.

The facts of his health condition:

Severe Ulcerative Colitis
Chronic Severe Dysentery
Rectal Bleeding (Hematochezia) and Inflammation
Chronic fecal incontinence accompanied by chronic Diarrhea
Type II Diabetes
Advanced Sciatica Nerve Damage
Acute Arthritis Pain (Immobilizing)
Chronic Hypertension (High Blood Pressure)
Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy
Rapid Weight Loss
Advancing Muscle Atrophy
Severely Inflamed Skin Infections in Lower Abdomen Area
Declining Immune System (Contraction of various colds and infections-both skin and respiratory)

As a result of my father’s expulsion from his residence, his homelessness condition has aggravated his above-listed conditions, most notably, his Severe Ulcerative Colitis and Chronic fecal incontinence. Being denied a secure residence equipped with required bathroom facilities and stable environment has incapacitated my father from his own self-care and required assistance from family members for his health.

Since November 9^th, 2015, Donald L. Carstetter, my father, has lost 70+lbs. and the drastic weight loss currently persists. This severely rapid weight loss has caused both shock to his immune system and an alarming rate of muscle atrophy. 80% of the weight loss consisted of loss of muscle mass.

For several years, my father has also suffered severely excruciating Sciatica Nerve Pain and Acute Arthritis. His homeless state has aggravated these two illnesses acutely, and hereby limits his mobility and ability to perform long-durating tasks.

His forced homeless condition has also caused him to develop a severe skin irritation and infection, which requires medical attention and home care, of which the latter is denied my father, due to his forced homeless state.

In addition, my father’s own sense of dignity is daily violated due to his severe accidents with his chronic fecal incontinence and being deprived of facilities to treat (private bathroom, basic sanitation facilities) his Severe Ulcerative Colitis and chronic fecal incontinence and Diarrhea (Dysentery). As a result, my father’s emotional health is abused by these forced hardships.

On November 13, 2015, my father ‘s condition declined severely, and such ailing condition prompted an emergency admission for care of his Ulcerative Colitis and fecal incontinence at the Evangelical Community Hospital in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania. His condition was monitored in the succeeding dates of November 14, 2015 and November 15, 2015 by Dr. W.

Dr. W. ordered a series of suppositories to alleviate my father’s condition and closely-monitored convalescent are by caretakers or entrusted family members, however, my father’s homelessness and inability to afford residential care has rendered my father without a stable residence to comply with Dr. W.’ s medical orders.

My father has also, due to his grave health failures and excruciating pain, plus loss of strength, been hospitalized on two other occasions after November 13^th, 2015. On December 22, 2015, my father admitted himself to the Emergency Room at the Lewistown Geisinger Hospital, and again on December 23, 2015, hours after his previous discharge.

Proceeding Dr. W.’s treatment, both Dr. S. (my father’s Primary Care Physician) and the attending Emergency Room doctors of the Lewistown Geisinger Hospital concur my father’s only means of recovery are if he can recuperate in a home environment where he can be assisted and cared for by family members acting as his caretakers, including, in his home, my father can also have access to private bathroom facilities for constant hygiene his condition requires for sanitation and full recuperation.

In his current situation, my father is denied venue and resources for healthcare, convalescence, well-being, and if extended over time, his own life.

My father, now SEVEN (7) MONTHS forced into homelessness by the November 9, 2015 Writ of Possession, compounded by the physical and emotional distress and strain over an extended period, my father’s life is at high-risk and probable imminent death, granted his above-listed conditions cannot be treated in his current situation.

My father, along with his primary care physician and other medical specialists treating my father are aware that my father cannot survive being forced to continue living in the state and conditions the November 9^th, 2015 Writ of Possession Eviction has forced my father into by rendering him homeless.

My Father’s Living Conditions:

My father, Donald L. Carstetter, is living from his car. His car, being an older model, does not support air-conditioning and is rapidly declining in transportation performance. In essence, living in his car is proving fatal as temperature increase during this Summer season.

My father has exhausted all resources for shelters. Within 100 miles of his location, there are NO shelters available with opening to provide him with shelter from the outside elements and/or provide basic sanitation supplies.

My father’s financial hardships have also prevented him from obtaining any outside resources for shelter, such financial reserves or connections to aid him.

My father’s health continues to rapidly worsen. It is evident by his own physicians and specialists’ assessment he will DIE if forced to live from his car in these condition of 90-100 Fahrenheit degree weather and no access to basic shelter, water, food and sanitation resources.

My father resides in an extremely rural and impoverished area where resources are extremely limited or virtually non-existent for shelter and food.

Facts of how the Writ of Possession was wrongly charged:

On January 28^th, 2015, at 1:40 P.M., Mifflin County Housing Maintenance Manager Scott S., accompanied by H.U.D. Inspector Mr. Jose Angel A., entered our apartment premises for an annual H.U.D mandated Inspection. ¹

During the duration of the Inspection in question, H.U.D. Inspector Abin entered each room of the our residence in an erratic manner, causing damage to my father’s and my family’s personal property and items, on a stand and including Mifflin County Housing Authority property (damage to my closet door and portable air conditioner window portal) within the residence.

When my father civilly asked H.U.D. Inspector Abin to desist in his damaging, H.U.D. Inspector Abin made no verbal response and minimal eye contact with my father and resumed in his damaging process.

My father civilly admonished Mr. Abin for the deliberate damage. My father was positioned 12 feet away from H.U.D. Inspector Abin during these statements.

Prior to leaving the premises, H.U.D. Inspector Abin proceeded to cause damage to the kitchen curtains.

Maintenance Manager Scott S. re-entered from the kitchen- living room entrance and stated in 24 - 48 hours, that Mifflin County Housing Maintenance Personnel would arrive to repair the adjustment required for optimum housing condition. Both Maintenance Manager S and H.U.D. Inspector A. then left the premises at 1:48 P.M..

We were served on January 30^th, 2015, a 15-day NOTICE TO VACATE eviction based on insubstantial allegations concerning an alleged violation of the Mifflin County Housing Authority Regulations.

On March 3^rd, 2015, my mother and I were dropped from the eviction, only my father remained on the Eviction/Writ of Possession.

Mifflin Housing Authority based their Motion for the initial eviction dated January 30, 2015, on the premise that my father violated one Mifflin County Housing Authority’s regulation of its “One-Strike Policy” as stated in its Terms and Conditions of Lease for Public Housing Tenants.

Mifflin County Housing Authority supports the allegation that H.U.D. Inspector Jose Angel A. was physically and verbally threatened by my father Donald L. Carstetter on January 28, 2015, during the approximate period of the day in question at 1:40 P.M.

Maintenance Manager of McCoy Manor, Scott S, supports this allegation and has testified as a witness against my father Donald L. Carstetter at the Magisterial Hearing of March 3^rd, 2015, 2:00 P.M., presided by Magistrate Jack Miller.

According the Maintenance Manager Scott S.’s testimony on the Magisterial Hearing in question, Mr. S. perjured by stating my father had drawn back his [my father’s] fist and verbally threatened to “put him [A.] in the hospital”.

As stated in the previous paragraph, my father was 12 feet away from H.U.D. Inspector Abin. My father NEVER demonstrated any body language- hostile or otherwise- towards H.U.D. Inspector Abin.

My father did NOT state any threatening phrases to Mr. A., as Mr. S. perjured.

My father’s original statements, delivered in sotto voce, to Mr. Abin were as follows:

“You are fortunate that I am a Christian man. If your behavior here is your behavior in other houses, you will encounter the wrong house w/ the wrong man. You will be very fortunate to just to have someone throw you out by the scruff of your neck. Most likely, that man will put you in the hospital.”

How you can help:

Because of our limited income, we live below Pennsylvania poverty lines. We have little money for rent, groceries, gas, let alone legal representation.

Our local pro bono organization is inadequate and refuses to provide legal counsel and representation.

Legal aid is non-existent here.

Because this is a small town, our town is rife with nepotism, cronyism, and corruption. None of the local law firms will take our case because we have no money to retain their services and because of corruption in the County.

Lawyers from other counties and our capital refuse to accept our case due to the above-mentioned reasons.

What we need help is exposing this. Being poor, we have no idea how to contact media resources. Our local newspapers refuse to publish our story because family connections to the Municipal authorities and the legal system here.

You can help by reblogging this post. Share on any and all social media outlets.

If anyone of you know how to contact a media outlet, or know legal or social advocates, or organizations, please message me through my inbox.

Please reblog- my father’s life depends on you helping expose this injustice.

Because we are poor, the poor in the US seldom receive justice. We are ignored and violated because of our income-based social status. We have no resources, save the internet.

But without connections, without financial resources, we are denied access to resources, and most importantly justice. Justice, as in an innocent man like my father can have the right to live.

Please reblog.

Please share this story of my father’s cruel punishment with friends, family, neighbors and figures you may know (e.g., a teacher, a counselor).

Please reblog to save a good, kind-hearted man named Donald L. Carstetter, Jr.

Please reblog to save my father from dying in his car.

Please reblog to bring my father back home.

Please reblog and share.

*Due to our lack of transportation, I have not been able to procure employment that requires travel beyond 4-5 miles, as I mainly walk. Likewise, whatever I could earn would be exacted by County Taxes and Housing Rent increase. Additionally, medical bills also have taxed whatever (small) earnings. I have also been forced not to seek employment, because it then would mean I would not be allowed to live my father and care for him, due to his SS income. Thus, we forced into this virtual state of poverty.