This is a letter in regards to the situation my business was in last year at this time. After being in business 20 years, not without its setbacks, I found myself during the busiest building season to endure some of the same medical problems I went through 15 years ago. During a three-month period I was ordered off work for weeks at a time. I stopped taking any more work on when I started to fall behind, so I could try to complete what I had scheduled.
Already drowning in medical bills, and anticipating more, I filed bankruptcy. I requested a chapter 13 bankruptcy, which works with your creditors. I was told I was not eligible, so a chapter 7 was filed. At this time, some of my creditors filed charges at the county level, understandingly upset. I requested a couple of months to get back on schedule, but that wasn't allowed. So I pleaded not guilty and awaited my time in county court.
During this time a federal judge was looking at my case, we appeared with supporters and clients wanting to stop the bankruptcy from being approved. The federal judge took every side into consideration, and allowed my bankruptcy, relieving any debt prior to the discharge date. I was prepared to go to county court with my defense when a plea deal was offered to me, which would allow time to pay these clients who lost money, with a penalty if not paid, so I had three options: go to court be found not guilty, and clients would not receive anything; go to court, be found guilty, receive penalty, clients would probably still not receive anything; or take the plea, reimburse, learn from this and move on.
So I took the latter. I'm sorry to the people affected by my business. I'm thankful to the 173 past clients who wrote letters of recommendations for me to take to court. I'm thankful to the people who have called with concern and prayer, and to the judge and prosecutor who allowed this opportunity to rectify. I haven't been in a hospital in more than a month, and I'm fortunate to be working full time. We are all humbled sometime in our life, this was mine. It's what you do with it that makes or breaks it.
