Relationships are challenging. And they can get harder as time goes on. We grow less patient with our significant other, less forgiving of their little quirks, and quicker to anger and frustration. But if a couple shares children, they often try to make it work for the kids and stay together even if a divorce would make them happier. But Army veteran Jake Grey and his wife Maria are flipping the script on its head; they want to get a divorce because of their six-year-old daughter.
Month to month proves to be a challenge for this young couple. They never seem to have enough money and are always close to falling behind on their bills. They have been happily married for nine years and share two, beautiful girls together. But now they are considering divorce because of their kids. So if they go through with it, and the kids ask if it was because of them, they’ll have to tell them that it was.
Although the couple admits they love each other more today than they did when they first met, divorce is the only thing that makes financial sense for them. Because they love their two daughters, 6-year-old Brighton and 2-year-old Fairen, they have no choice but to do something drastic to keep them healthy and happy.
Because Brighton was born with Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome, the medical bills are racking up. And although Jake risked his life as a member of the Army, the government health care does not offer enough care to cover Brighton’s around-the-clock needs. The condition keeps her perpetual in the state of a newborn baby mentally. Although the couple applied for Medicaid, they were denied. Because Jake earns $40,000 more than the family would need to qualify, they are desperate. He has appealed to the government under the current administration but has not received any help or an adequate reply. The only thing that the Grey’s can think to do is get divorced. Then, as a single mother, Maria could qualify for health care assistance.
Divorce is the only thing they can do to qualify. It is drastic, but they love their daughter so much and want to make sure she gets the health care she deserves. Because the government does not make health care easy for the average American – especially our United States military veterans – they are forced to break apart their family to qualify.
As a veteran, Jake gets private health insurance but is forced to pay $15,000 out of pocket every year to keep his daughter alive and well. The way he is treated is disturbing.
“It’s drowning us to try to keep up with her medical expenses,” Jake said. “We’ve done everything we can do to try to keep her afloat, and we’re going to reach a point where we can’t do it, and we won’t have another option. We don’t know what to do.”
The family prays to God that their divorce and keep their family alive. Otherwise, their lack of adequate health care will kill their beloved daughter even though Jake risked his life to fight for American freedom in the Army.