Was this necessary? For a 90-year-old WWII veteran, eviction from his lifelong Buffalo home

SPC Jan Allbright, M.Sc., R.S. — Fri, 10 Jul 2015 09:04:03 -0400

On Thursday morning, Hodges was taken from his Humboldt Parkway residence in Buffalo on a stretcher after an almost two-hour standoff that began when a U.S. marshal and Buffalo police showed up to evict him. He was transported for mental health evaluation by VA Western New York Health Care System.

Though he walked onto the front porch under his own power, an ambulance crew and police lifted him from a porch chair to the stretcher to be taken away.

“They’re going to have to take me – I’m not leaving,” Hodges reportedly told Allen Knight Jr., a member of his extended family, who was on the porch when Hodges was put on the stretcher.

After he left, a large crew from Extraordinary Properties, a Canandaigua-based company, carried cardboard boxes inside to begin removing property from the home where Hodges had lived for decades, before it was foreclosed on by M&T Bank.

http://www.buffalonews.com/city-region/for-a-90-year-old-wwii-veteran-eviction-from-his-lifelong-buffalo-home-20150709

For a 90-year-old WWII veteran, eviction from his lifelong Buffalo home - The Buffalo News

Many people wanted Johnnie H. Hodges, a 90-year-old Navy veteran of World War II, to keep living in the place he has called home for the last 60 years.But lending Hodges a hand wasn’t easy, and he didn’t accept offers for help. Time quickly ran out.On Thursday morni... - The Buffalo News

Response by CW3 Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 10 at 2015 9:05 AM

CW3 Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 10 Jul 2015 09:05:18 -0400

Tragic occurrence regardless of the circumstances leading up to it. I only hope that his family can assist in providing him the support and care he needs at this time.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 10 at 2015 9:33 AM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 10 Jul 2015 09:33:23 -0400

I read the article. They literally tried everything to help the guy out. The mortgage company tried hooking him up with non-profits, another person even offered to let him live there almost rent free. The mortgage company even rented out four storage units for two months for the family. Other than just giving him the house, I don't see any other option.

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 10 at 2015 10:23 AM

SSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 10 Jul 2015 10:23:38 -0400

It makes me sad...

Response by MSgt Curtis Ellis made Jul 10 at 2015 10:51 AM

MSgt Curtis Ellis — Fri, 10 Jul 2015 10:51:33 -0400

Unfortunately, yes... I thought the eviction was necessary... How do you provide help/assistance for a fellow Veteran who refuses to be, or turns down offers of assistance to be, helped by you, a fellow Vet, family, the local community, State/national establishments, or (I don't believe they were mentioned in this story) a Veterans Organization? I see this quite often being involved with our local VFW...
The end result of this is very unfortunate for this WWII Veteran, but all parties involved seemed to have gone far above and beyond in this case... This Veteran is a man of faith, and believed that God would make everything ok... To me, (and this my opinion only) it would seem that even God, through people, tried to help him as well... He refused... I'm all about helping and supporting Veterans, or anyone else for that matter, but a line has to be made somewhere... In this case? They went over it... Forget he is a 90 year old WWII Veteran for a moment... Just a typical old man who was offered the same deals and consistently stubbornly refused each one... Would your feelings still be the same? Or are they what they are because this is a 90 year old WWII Veteran? I'm not looking for an answer nor an argument here, just voicing my opinion... Looking forward, I ho hope he receives the care and support we obviously will require...

Response by A1C Jennifer Israel made Jun 12 at 2020 10:31 AM

A1C Jennifer Israel — Fri, 12 Jun 2020 10:31:50 -0400

This does make me so sad. I was in a bad situation in a marriage and had to escape. I was so traumatized from the abuse that I could not even function. I lived in my car with my 5 dogs. I left with just my purse and the clothes I was wearing. I could not work because I could not stop crying and what would I do with my dogs? I had no money. It took me almost 6 years to go get any help. I was able to get the snap during some of that time. It was just so hard to get help and just made me even more depressed. If you have never been through this situation it can make you not as sympathetic. Sad.