Man With No Surviving Family Puts Out Will Every Night In Case He Passes In His Sleep
Everyone has troubles. You could measure them, but why bother? While it's true that some struggle more than others, comparisons won't help either party. Instead, it's best to keep that fact in mind when out in the world, as everyone is likely dealing with something heavy in secret.
Many of these issues go unnoticed, untold, and unsolved, including some community-wide problems. A recent documentary has decided to shed light on one such problem, highlighting one man whose situation has tugged at heartstrings the world over.
If you find that your struggles are mounting and preventing you from living your life to the fullest, it's time to take a stand. It seems hard to fight against, but it's possible, and you can take the first step today.
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No Dry Eyes
A man's heartbreaking story of how he prepares his affairs every night has impacted people around the world, bringing a lot of attention to the unspoken troubles many people in his demographic face: pensioner poverty.
John Foster, 76, was recently featured in a documentary from U.K.'s Channel 4 called Britain's Forgotten Pensioners, which highlighted the unique, tragic issues older folk in the country have to deal with, many of which go completely unknown by the general public.
Months Without Light
In the episode, Foster spoke about his life and why he's struggling. Like many, he's caught up in the cost of living crisis, unable to afford many necessities. He often can't afford to pay his energy bills, so he lives without power, no need to worry about food going bad as he can rarely afford to stock up on perishable food. In the winter, he'll keep things like milk by the door to keep cold, operating on flashlights once the sun sets.
He also has no surviving family. He used to live with his parent and two siblings, but they all have passed.
Just In Case
"I'm completely on my own," he said. "I haven't even got any relations anywhere, I'm just here, that's it. Existing."
Every night, before he goes to bed, he lays out his will and funeral arrangements on the couch in his home so, should he die in the night, someone is able to find them.
"I started doing this when my sister died. I've got no family - they've all gone - so there's nobody to do things like this," he explained.
A Sorrowful History
"If anyone comes into the house this is the first thing they're going to see. They will phone the funeral directors, they'll come out, and everything will be done."
When asked if he ever felt sad, he replied, "You should say, 'Do you ever feel happy?' Because I'm sad all the time."
Foster's brother passed away some time ago now, but his sister's death was only five years ago, with his parents passing away within 27 hours of each other.
A Struggle To Proccess
"I've got no family, never been married, no kids."
"Family, if you lose one or two it's bad enough, but if you lose all of them you're completely on your own and it's just a nightmare," he shared. "I can't believe I'm the last one here. It takes getting your head around it, you just can't work it out."
He's one of many people above retirement age who are left alone, with a lack of support and opportunities leaving them lost.
Finally, Change
Thankfully, he's now reached a positive turning point thanks to his appearance on the show. They helped him connect with the local charity Pallion Action Group, an organization that helps those in his area in a number of ways. One of their workers, Karen Noble, helped Foster access benefits he had no idea he was eligible for.
"I'm getting a lot more money now, which I've been entitled to for a few years and I didn't know, I had no idea," he said.
Unfairly Abandoned
Though he's finally on a better path thanks to the documentary's help, he never should have been left to suffer in silence for so long to begin with. Senior citizens are often extremely disenfranchised, left without a community and without knowledge of resources they can use. With no idea where to begin seeking help, many simply don't, and continue to struggle not knowing there's assistance available.
Foster's story is tragic, but eye-opening. No matter how average of a life someone may appear to have, we never truly know what's happening behind closed doors, and thus should always seek to help wherever possible and be as kind as we can.
