So, I'm trying something new here. Every couple of days, I will be posting stories from real people who's lives, or the lives of those they love, have been trampled underfoot by the student loan industry, in their quest for profit.
These are real stories, from real people. I hope this will serve to let the people know what's going on, and allow people other than me to tell their stories, and talk about the issue.
Interested readers can visit www.studentloanjustice.org to see more.
This first one really tears me up.
Gail
This is my son's story so I don't have all the facts but I do know enough to know that student loans debt was one of the factors that drove him to suicide. He was very depressed because he owed over $200,000 in student loans and saw no end to ever paying them off. He had consolidated before the interest went way down and when he looked into doing it when interest was good he was told he could only do it once in the life of the loans. He had gotten his masters degree and had almost completed his PHD. Because of this hard line rule it became overwhelming. He committed suicide 9/28/05 and the world lost a beautiful, brilliant person and I lost one of the loves of my life. I'm not just saying these things because I am his Mother and loved him.
He was so smart he belonged to Mensa and I am attaching his local obituary.
I keep receiving bills from the student loans even though I have repeatedly returned them to sender with the message that he was deceased. When they kept coming I added the fact that he was deceased in part because of these bills and when they still kept coming I added that they were rubbing salt in a wound and were breaking my heart and to please cease already. Michele was 39 and had so much to give. His Father is dying of liver cancer but Michele's death is the tragedy of his life, even more than his own death sentence. His wife, his parents and brothers are all victims.
I would like to see legislation that protects these students and gives them alternatives if they have a hardship repaying these loans.