# UPDATED - ABSOLUTELY DISGUSTING!!!!!! additional information on page 3



## Danielle_E. (Jan 27, 2009)

> Man, 93, Freezes to Death in Home
> Neighbours discovered Schur's body on Jan. 17. They said the indoor temperature was below zero Celsius at the time, the Bay City Times reported Monday.
> 
> "Hypothermia shuts the whole system down, slowly," Virani said. "It's not easy to die from hypothermia without first realizing your fingers and toes feel like they're burning."
> ...


I can't believe they would be putting the onus on the neighbours. What the heck is the matter with this electric company!!!! This is absolute bullcrap. You can't tell me that they couldn't have sent a representative to speak to the man directly to see how they could solve the problem. Shutting heat off in these kind of temperatures is tandamount to "murder". I guess the almighty $$ is more important than a life. This is soooo sad.


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## minie812 (Jan 27, 2009)

What they NEED to do is file charges against the Electric Co. for manslaughter


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## Sonya (Jan 27, 2009)

So sad. Bay City is just a few miles north of me. I hadn't heard about this but hadn't been watching the news past few nights.


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## RJRMINIS (Jan 27, 2009)

*That is sooo sad.




That poor poor man......With temps so cold, I cannot believe anyone would limit your electricity/heat. And if he didn't know or understand it....that is just awful.*


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## Mona (Jan 27, 2009)

Yes, I just heard this on the radio at the top of the hour. That is just so sad.


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## Leeana (Jan 27, 2009)

That is aweful



. A man lost his life as he could not afford a $1,000 electic bill...i think at times these utility companys should take things into consideration and extend a helping hand in times like this to people who cannot afford or deal with the conseqences at a time like this and with the cold.


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## Minimor (Jan 27, 2009)

At one time there was a law (here at least) that prevented the gas company from shutting off the gas during winter, even if the bill wasn't paid. I'm not sure, but I think the same law applied to the hydro. However, that law was changed quite a few years ago, and the power/gas can now be cut off any time of the year, even in the coldest part of winter.

It's a shame that someone died of it, but at the same time there are consequences when one cannot pay their utility bill. A $1000+ bill...how many months worth of unpaid bills is that? This man should have known well ahead of Jan. 13th that he had a problem with his bill and that they were likely to cut off his power--companies are usually fairly good at allowing customers to make payment arrangements in cases like this...I disagree that it's up to the neighbors to watch over someone like this--the neighbors probably didn't even know there was a problem with his bill being unpaid. The fellow was elderly and if he was also incompetent, he should not have been living there alone--he had no immediate family, but I wonder if there were no nieces or nephews that could have kept an eye on him? Very sad, for sure.


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## Reble (Jan 27, 2009)

Your topic title says it all





ABSOLUTELY DISGUSTING.....


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## ruffian (Jan 27, 2009)

As I understand this, the man had a "limit switch" on his electricity. That means that he had enough to run his furnace and critical components, but if he exceeded that limit, power would be shut off and he had to contact the company to come out and reset the switch. They are saying that they "May not have explained it fully" Geez YA THINK???

I agree that it should not be left to the neighbors, but what about family? The officials estimate he's been dead approx 10 days according to the local news (I live about 20 miles from Bay City)


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## Mona (Jan 27, 2009)

ruffian said:


> I agree that it should not be left to the neighbors, but what about family? The officials estimate he's been dead approx 10 days according to the local news (I live about 20 miles from Bay City)


It doesn't sound like he really had any family. The article said this: Schur had no children and his wife had died several years ago.


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## The Simple Life Farm (Jan 28, 2009)

That explains the kind of world we have now... profits are more important than a human life. Even if he had months of unpaid bills, it is winter..... and people can die from the temperatures!!!!


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## TinyMiteVillage (Jan 28, 2009)

That is so sad..........


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## Mona (Jan 28, 2009)

Another thing I failed to mention yesterday when I posted here...when I heard this on the news (radio) yesterday,what was in that report that was not mentioned in this one Danielle posted, was that on his kitchen table, they found the electric bill with a bunch of cash together...I think they said wrapped together in an eleastic band, like he had plans of paying it, but never made it there.


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## Sonya (Jan 28, 2009)

We were talking about this last night at bowling. The bartender knows of this man's family and she also mentioned the $ attached to the bill. He did have some family according to her. It is not the neighbor's responsibility that is for sure. He had nieces/nephews that did visit him, but not very often from the sound of it. I too did not think they could shut off someones electricity in the winter months. According to her, it was totally shut off, she gave a story totally different than what the article said.


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## My-Lil-Pony (Jan 28, 2009)

This was a 93 year old man!



I have elderly neighbors that are not my blood relatives. I firmly believe it is my family's responsibility as compassionate people to check on them a couple times a week and see what they might need help with or to just sit and chat a while.


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## hobbyhorse23 (Jan 28, 2009)

On the one hand, it would have been very nice of the electric company to extend a helping hand to this gentleman. On the other hand, they already did.



Electricity is not a RIGHT, people. It's a service that we purchase and they'd already continued to provide him with power long after he stopped paying his bill. If he was mentally competent he knew he needed to pay his bill and should have called them the minute his power was shut off even if he hadn't known about the limiter. If he wasn't mentally competent, then there was a failure of the system to help him but again, that's not the power company's fault. How could they have known?



Minimor said:


> It's a shame that someone died of it, but at the same time there are consequences when one cannot pay their utility bill. A $1000+ bill...how many months worth of unpaid bills is that? This man should have known well ahead of Jan. 13th that he had a problem with his bill and that they were likely to cut off his power--companies are usually fairly good at allowing customers to make payment arrangements in cases like this...I disagree that it's up to the neighbors to watch over someone like this--the neighbors probably didn't even know there was a problem with his bill being unpaid. The fellow was elderly and if he was also incompetent, he should not have been living there alone--he had no immediate family, but I wonder if there were no nieces or nephews that could have kept an eye on him? Very sad, for sure.


I agree 100%. There is no question this is sad and unnecessary, but I don't think it's disgusting or the power company's responsibility. If the power shut off in the middle of the night with no warning and he froze to death in his sleep, well, maybe. But based on the quote below he obviously knew he needed to pay his bill so why didn't he do it before it came to that?!







Mona said:


> Another thing I failed to mention yesterday when I posted here...when I heard this on the news (radio) yesterday,what was in that report that was not mentioned in this one Danielle posted, was that on his kitchen table, they found the electric bill with a bunch of cash together...I think they said wrapped together in an eleastic band, like he had plans of paying it, but never made it there.


Leia


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## Jill (Jan 28, 2009)

hobbyhorse23 said:


> But based on the quote below he obviously knew he needed to pay his bill so why didn't he do it before it came to that?!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


He was 93! I think that might have something to do with it. He may not have been thinking really well at that age, not to mention how it must have effected him mentally as well as physically to be so cold at that age before the cold actually took his life. I feel so sorry reading about what happened to him. At 93, his prospects for earning extra money to make it easier to keep up with the bill are probably non-existent.


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## Laura (Jan 28, 2009)

Jill said:


> hobbyhorse23 said:
> 
> 
> > But based on the quote below he obviously knew he needed to pay his bill so why didn't he do it before it came to that?!
> ...


I agree Jill. Also, even IF his neighbors were close to him, how many elderly people do you know who would discuss private financial matters even with FAMILY? I'm sorry, but I believe that limiting someone's ability for life sustaining heat in the heart of winter, is criminal...just my two cents...


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## Mona (Jan 28, 2009)

Jill said:


> hobbyhorse23 said:
> 
> 
> > But based on the quote below he obviously knew he needed to pay his bill so why didn't he do it before it came to that?!
> ...












TOTALLY AGREE Jill!!! He also may have thought that he had to pay the full amount, and had not gathered that much yet so was waiting to get it together. They (the radio) never said how much money was there. Good God...YES, this IS DISGUSTING!


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## coopermini (Jan 28, 2009)

Here they can not shut off the power in Winter for unpaid bills. At least they are not supposed to. A couple years ago here in town a single father and his teenage son died from carbon monoxide when the dad ran a generator in the basement. His power bill was way behind and it was fall. They shut off the power after he stopped making payments. He apparently ran the generator so his son could do homework on his computer. The neighbors said he did this often that fall until the day he decided to put the generator in the basement to help keep the house warm. Public was outraged but power company said they did not put the generator in the basement which is true.


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## Minimor (Jan 29, 2009)

> Public was outraged but power company said they did not put the generator in the basement which is true.


I would have to say in this case that if people are going to do stupid things, they have to take responsibility for the consequences--you cannot blame the power company for something like this.
as for the original topic here--last year with one of our hydro bills we got a brochure on a program now offered by Manitoba Hydro: "Neighbors helping neighbors". What it amounts to is people can pay extra money on their bill and that extra amount goes into a special fund that will be used for people who are having trouble paying their bills--it's targeted at seniors such as the 93 year old fellow in this case. Now, this was last year and I haven't heard of the program since, so I have no idea how well it went over, if enough people were donating to the cause to keep it going, or if it is now history because of lack of funds. I questioned at the time how much good it would really do, as it was a one time 'gift' per household and I think it was a set amount--it would delay the shut off of power by a little while, but on a $1000 bill the $200 or $300 available wouldn't make that much of a dent.


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## Marty (Jan 29, 2009)

SHAME! SHAME ON THEM!

This is outrageous. I am too angry to cry. This is a LIFE for the lovagod. Where is the compassion? Is this what the modern world has come to now? I'm sorry people but this is inhumane cruel suffering and NO ONE Or NOTHING can justify what has happened. What a way to die! Just the way he died makes me think this cannot be the world I live in.

We have many poverty stricken elderly in our area. Most of them get meals on wheels but some do not and a lot of us stop by and check and visit a few minutes a week. You always find out at church who needs help so you help. My cooking is terrible but I do bring a meatloaf and some biscuits to a certain couple in their 90's every now and then because I know they can chew it, along with my other neighbors who bring lots of things because we all know they do not have enough food. This is not hard to do! You just share what you have and its no big deal. We also have very large families we keep an eye on as well and I promise you if anyone seems to be going hungry or doing without they are helped one way or the other.

May that poor man rest in peace now in the warmth of an angel.


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## Jesper (Jan 29, 2009)

sadly it seems that this is the way the world is going




I bet you all remember the one with the person in the ironlung where they turned off the power so the person suffocated? think thats less then a year ago that happened.

it's all about money today, not about helping eachother


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## whitney (Jan 29, 2009)

Outrage is warranted but action is needed.

You can contact your local senior center and adopt a senior without family. You call them once or twice a day and visit with them, take them to the library, out to lunch, do their bookwork for them etc. Way Cool program.

I learned to fox trot from a 75 year old friend of mine name Mitchell, he passed away last year, he was thee coolest man.


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## Danielle_E. (Jan 29, 2009)

Here is an update on this story.







> Freezing Death of Man, 93, Sparks AngerSource: The Associated PressPosted: 01/29/09 8:17AM
> 
> Filed Under: World
> 
> ...


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## SWA (Jan 29, 2009)

Jesper said:


> it's all about money today, not about helping eachother


Amen.



What's even worse is when some "offer help" with the alterior motive of "personal gain". {{{Sighs}}} Wolves in sheeps clothing....but I digress...

In this particular case it was about "offering a service", but only if the recipient can pay for it...which is just a fact of life though, and how most of us earn a living, and rightfully so...that is until...the service in turn being the very source of sustaining life, as was most definately here.





This whole thing makes me recall a movie that hubby I just went to see a couple weeks ago, Clint Eastwood's "Gran Torino".



The story plot was different, of course, but ultimately, it ended likewise... a beautiful soul now an angel of heaven.

After watching that movie, made hubby and I both adament about keeping our own folks close to us, and a daily priority in our hearts. Also, made us absolutely ADORE, (just ALL THE MORE), some of our own neighbors out here, that have come to live similar lives...lonely from family with only "neighbors" to be a part of their day...and finding such joy in that.

This, with this gentleman though, makes my heart so sad for him. I just pray over this.... and all that comes of it. Heaven have mercy...

No, it's not a neighbor's "responsibility"...but still...I just hope in might lead to more "neighborly love" (that in itself would prevail that this man did not die in vain)...it's just so very needed in this world....and that's not to say SOLELY in the literal sense of "neighbor" either...but should include companies with compassion, families, extended families, and even strangers...all the above. Ok, I'm going to just close with that, because I feel I'm just rambling now....

I just pray over this...and all that may potentially come of it.


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## SWA (Jan 29, 2009)

_The medical examiner is looking into whether Schur suffered from dementia, particularly after police found enough cash lying around in the home to cover his bills. His nephew William Walworth said Schur told him two years ago he had $600,000 in savings. _

"It's definitely not a situation where money is an issue. The issue has to do with the mental faculties you have and your ability to make good decisions," said Walworth, 67, who lives in Ormond Beach, Fla.

It could also have been a "physical limitation" of inability to actually drive to the post office to mail payment, or drive to the power company to make payment, and was just HOPING that someone would BOTHER to come along and OFFER A RIDE to pay the bill???

So sad....



Holding in prayers...


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## Margo_C-T (Jan 29, 2009)

This is an EXTREMELY SAD situation all around. It appears to me that the 'ball was dropped' when the utility didn't make the effort to arrange a FACE-TO-FACE meeting with the gentleman. In doing so, they could have seen that he was extremely elderly, been able to explain in person HOW the limiter worked(AND gotten a sense of whether he understood and could actually carry out the necessary action should it shut off), and whether social services might need to be called in. Seems there is a GREAT need for better procedures and training on the part of those companies that are in a position of providing VITAL services to people. What a terrible irony that it seems he DID have sufficient money to pay for the services!

Most of all, this tragedy might have been prevented with better communication and, VITALLY IMPORTANT, a recognition that EVERY 'customer' is a PERSON.

Margo


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## SWA (Jan 29, 2009)

I do agree in part where the company should have made a point of personal contact in explaining the device....

However, it NEVER should have reached the point of protocol FOR said device....





He obviously DID have the means to PAY THE BILL ...BEFORE...it would have reached the power company's "policy step" of initiating the use of the device....he just needed the means of ability to "Physically" follow through....to me, and from what I've read of this story so far, and seen of on the news...it just seems that he just needed HELP for means of conveying payment...then ALL ELSE that occured would never have been in place to even happen.

Don't know him, and don't know if he would have ever wanted to "impose" of anyone to ask for help to just "convey his payment", but it just seems to me, that THIS is where the point of events turned that lead to his demise....he just needed help in "conveying payment" of which he had the financial means to cover...just not likely the "physical means" of doing so.

To even insinuate that he didn't have his "faculties" about him, is already disproven, by the mear FACT that he had his financial obligation all "set to go", with the money there on the table with the bill....sadly, that's just as far as it ever got.



I still feel in my heart, that it may be because he had no "physical" means of ability to follow through with making payment beyond his kitchen table.



Don't know if he "could" have called anyone, as his phone bill could possibly have been cut off too, from nonpayment??? I don't know, but it is possible...had someone just BOTHERED to actually GO TO HIM physically....things could have been prevented from escalating to this extent.

{{{Sighs}}} I feel so heartbroken for this man.


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## SWA (Jan 29, 2009)

whitney said:


> Outrage is warranted but action is needed.
> You can contact your local senior center and adopt a senior without family. You call them once or twice a day and visit with them, take them to the library, out to lunch, do their bookwork for them etc. Way Cool program.
> 
> I learned to fox trot from a 75 year old friend of mine name Mitchell, he passed away last year, he was thee coolest man.


Whitney....what a beautiful heart you have.


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## minie812 (Jan 29, 2009)

Sadly it is the world we live in. I did home health care for close to 12 years and met some really wonderful aged folks. I will tell you that certain generations have a different view on life and asking for help, and I am betting this gentlemen was afraid to ask for help for fear of being thought of as incompetent and being removed from the only home he has known. Even though it is extremely hard to have someone removed from there home even through SRS and the state. Numerous times our agency was asked to step in and help to file "Adult in need of care" & issues with relatives trying to "step In" and have them removed. Alot of relatives didn't want the hassle of dealing with an aged relative because it interfered with their busy busy schedules. I was raised that we took care of our family & OUR NEIGHBORS. My mom ,bless her soul, cared for 3 different aged folks in our neighborhood growing up and I would mow-do laundry-iron & help her. NEVER, were we allowed to ask for a dime. Now days your lucky to get a kid to get off their butts to do anything to help even in their own homes. Enough of my ranting...he fell through the cracks, yet again, but I feel it is up to us as GOOD neighbors to stop in once in awhile and check on these folks and NO you don't have to but that is what is wrong nowdays...I don't have too-not my problem-not my responsibility :arg!


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## Floridachick (Jan 30, 2009)

I will say this is so very sad and should never have happened. Its horrible! The elderly, let alone a VEt should have had someone to look out for him. I don't know who, or how but....

That said thinking that electric companies should cover us is what has our Economy crashing down. This mindset doesn't work. If you can't pay your bills, can't own a home then you simply CAN'T afford it and need to be in assisted living or a shared rental. A home, Utilities, car, food are a PRIVILAGE not a right.

Obviously the above gentleman that passed, money was not the problem, but sadly do to his age, or lack of mobility.

Seriously though almost everyone thinks we have the RIGHT to have power,food, shelter, etc etc, etc... SOmeone has to PAY for these things. Where does the money come from? People are living on credit cards and far above their means and now our country is paying a severe price for irresponsible people.

Not everyone should own a home, it doesn't work!


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## Sonya (Jan 30, 2009)

It sure is sad, not just the way he passed, but it sounds like the last couple years of his life...all alone. To me, it almost sounds like someone (perhaps a family member) may have dropped the ball here....why would he have the $ paperclipped to his bill on the table? Sounds like he was waiting for someone to pick it up for him...and that someone never showed up.


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## krissy3 (Jan 30, 2009)

why didnt the man go to the electric company and tell them he had a problem paying the bills??? why isnt it the mans responsibility to take care of himself, and if he couldnt pay his bills why not ask for help finding a shelter? I think its a cruel thing to happen also , but somebody failed to see the bigger picture , and that lead to a horrible death. These people that can not take care of themselves need to ask for help...the local church or what ever. very sad . he would have had a warm place to sleep in my stall, how does a house get so cold? cant you use newspaper on the windows? there is a bigger picture here.


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## RJRMINIS (Jan 30, 2009)

krissy3 said:


> why didnt the man go to the electric company and tell them he had a problem paying the bills??? why isnt it the mans responsibility to take care of himself, and if he couldnt pay his bills why not ask for help finding a shelter? I think its a cruel thing to happen also , but somebody failed to see the bigger picture , and that lead to a horrible death. These people that can not take care of themselves need to ask for help...the local church or what ever. very sad . he would have had a warm place to sleep in my stall, how does a house get so cold? cant you use newspaper on the windows? there is a bigger picture here.


*Sadly if he had dementia or Alzheimers, then he would not even know to ask for help....My Grandma suffered from Alzheimers, she went to the doctor one day, and then when leaving could not remember her way home. But they do not like to admit they have a problem. We had to eventually put her in the nursing home, and it was sad, as she got to where she would not even remember anyone but my dad....and then even when he would just visit her and leave, she would swear he had not been to see her. So IF this man had any problems like that, then he could not have asked for help or really realized he needed help. It just saddens me and makes me cry to think of what he went through.



I think the electric company should not have installed any device without first Explaining it in detail to the home owner, and making sure they understood.....even doing a follow up on them wouldn't hurt.*


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## krissy3 (Jan 30, 2009)

I suppose I wouldnt admit to having a problem either...its very sad , maybe we (all of us ) could look after one another a little better . Knock on your neighbors door once in a while and ask how they are doing . keep an eye on your neighbor. he can sleep in peace now


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## nysart8902 (Jan 30, 2009)

I just finally got to read this entire post, and I have to say that this was just wrong. In the winter no electric company should do that, especially in areas where it gets extremely cold.

I also have to say one other thing to this part of the article:



> Bay City Manager Robert Belleman said that he was "deeply saddened" by Schur's death and that State Police will investigate. But he also said neighbors have a responsibility to each other.
> "I've said this before and some of my colleagues have said this: Neighbors need to keep an eye on neighbors," Belleman said. "When they think there's something wrong, they should contact the appropriate agency or city department."


This guy should be put in jail! My neighbors are actually distance relatives (in other words family), and they don't come check in on me all the time when my husband is away (he's in the Army National Guard). So I really don't think that neighbors have a responsibility to each other.


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## Marty (Jan 30, 2009)

Just a word about alzheimers:

My mother and my aunt who lived together had it. If I hadn't been right there with them daily I would not have really known. The house became un-kept. Little things like the beds were no longer being made, dust was accumulating. The garbage wasn't being taken out., things like that were pileing up. At first I just thought they were tired and just didn't feel like cleaning up. But other wise, they were acting pretty normal, just getting forgetful. Then they began to quit eating regular meals and I found the refridgerator was almost empty. They were forgetting to eat. But again, they were acting normal in other ways so who really knew? I did and it didn't take long for me to put two and two together and take over. Long story short it progressed and I ended up with 4 babies instead of two and that was my responsibility.

The moral of the story is that this happens every day and if someone is not visiting the elderly on a regular basis, you can't know what is really going on. This poor old gentleman had no one to keep tabs on him and that is wrong. Dead wrong.


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## minie812 (Jan 30, 2009)

nysart8902 said:


> I just finally got to read this entire post, and I have to say that this was just wrong. In the winter no electric company should do that, especially in areas where it gets extremely cold.
> I also have to say one other thing to this part of the article:
> 
> 
> ...


Are you 90+ years old?


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## tnovak (Jan 30, 2009)

How sad that a Veteran froze to death in America.


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## nysart8902 (Jan 30, 2009)

minie812 said:


> nysart8902 said:
> 
> 
> > I just finally got to read this entire post, and I have to say that this was just wrong. In the winter no electric company should do that, especially in areas where it gets extremely cold.
> ...


No, but I do have health problems that limit what I can do


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## Relic (Jan 30, 2009)

l think it's a crime in itself that ANYONE that age is living all alone without anyone to pop in to check on them. lt's sad what happened but on the other hand l'm a believer that if a person living close by knows someone in there 90's is living alone that it is just common sense and decent to keep an eye on them and especially in cold weather to pop in and make sure everything is fine and they have food water and heat to get them through. How much effort does that really require to care enough to make sure that an older person is alright in your own neighborhood. Power and gas up here is turned of year round they don't give a fig about your age or personal problems if you fail to pay the bill then you go without.


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## minie812 (Jan 30, 2009)

nysart8902 said:


> minie812 said:
> 
> 
> > nysart8902 said:
> ...


So do I but my neighbors check on me & I likewise do the same for them even if it is just a phone call- sorry your family is that insensitive


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## wcr (Jan 31, 2009)

It is a very sad thing to happen and I am sure the power company needs to review their policies but it isn't fair that they take the brunt of the criticism. Where is this man's family? Who is checking that his welfair is seen to? It wasn't a money issue with the money laying around. For goodness sake, he is 90 years old and has the right to be mentally challenged. Why wasn't the family making sure his needs are met and why didn't they know he hadn't paid his bills for 4 months?

I think we have gotten to the stage in this country that we point fingers at "government", "outside agencies" anyone other than ourselves and each other. What happened to the values of taking care of our own and each other? The old days when neighbors knew each other and were always there in a crisis? Are we so wrapped up in our own lives we can't take a few minutes to check on an elderly man living alone to make sure he is okay? Who was checking to make sure he even had food to eat if he never went out in the cold?

I think this is a very sad commentary on the state of our nation that we are so concerned with taking care of other countries problems that our own are ignored.


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## Annabellarose (Feb 2, 2009)

There is an old man that owns one of the farms that borders my farm. He lives alone. He does have a few "friends" and family members that do come to check on him, occasionally. However, he will be there without a visitor for days and weeks at a time. He is extremely hateful, perverse, and even violent. He killed his own dog a couple of years ago. He is constantly peeing off of his back porch and I know that he has running water. I want nothing to do with him and I would actually be afraid that he would pull a gun on me if I ventured over to check on him. Sometimes I am afraid that he will shoot or poison my horses. He has yelled mean and perverse things to me about my horses in the past. Despite all that, I do kind of look for him everyday while I am at my farm caring for my horses. He has a golf cart that he rides around on his small farm (maybe 5-7 acres) almost everyday. If I didn't see him for a couple of days I might get together with my other neighbor and we might decide to call the authorities, but I and my other neighbor refuse to step in personally due to how I and my other neighbor have been treated by him in the past. Not too long ago a family that was over to check on him lost a dog that they brought with them so that it could run around on his farm and they came over to ask us if we had seen it and we asked them about the old man. They talked about how they liked to check on him occasionally but that it was hard because he was such a nasty old man. I commended them.

I really hated to read that quote from the guy at the electric company that placed blame on the neighbors. Screw him! I highly doubt this man was hateful, perverse, or violent, like my neighbor, but we just don't know the situation. I like to help people, in need or not, but I will not put my own life in danger or be subjected to violence or abuse to check on or help someone.


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## wcr (Feb 3, 2009)

You can request the police do a welfare check on someone if you think something might be wrong without being involved if that is an issue. We do this regularly in the medical field and sometimes the police seeing poor living conditions is what it takes to get the care needed for someone who can no longer care for themselves in an appropriate manner.


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## AppyLover2 (Feb 3, 2009)

I'm not as old or infirm as this man was but I *do* know what it's like to be alone with no one looking out for your welfare and no one who appears to give a dam whether you're ok or not. There's absolutely no doubt in my mind that if something were to happen to me I would/could lay here for days before anyone became concerned, and even when someone did, it would be friends a thousand miles away. Being alone is bad enough but to have a "service" like electricity shut off with no follow-up is inexcusable and cost this man his life.


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## Sonya (Feb 3, 2009)

The man who died in Bay City did have dementia.

Just heard on the news last night that Granholm (gov in MI) is pushing for legislation to stop local/city electric companies from shutting off electric in winter months on the elderly/handicapped. However, I don't think the legislation would include any wording about the limiters that some city electric companies use and that was used in this case. We have Consumers energy at our place (which is regulated by the state I believe). To my knowledge, Consumers can not shut off electric in winter months.

This did happen last winter too, an elderly woman froze to death in southwest MI because her power was shut off (Indiana Michigan Power Co). The woman's mentally handicapped daughter lived with her and suffered frostbite. She also had $ to pay the bill.

I think this happens more than people realize.


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## AppyLover2 (Feb 6, 2009)

An update on this - read it yesterday - this old guy's will gave $600,000 to a (local?) hospital so a shortage of funds certainly wasn't to blame.


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## susanne (Feb 6, 2009)

Forgive me for answering without having read all of the posts -- I haven't been on here much and now am on jury duty...

Instead of casting blame, we need to see that EVERYONE is to blame -- neighbors, family AND the utility. THAT is the meaning of COMMUNITY.

Judging by the "warm and fuzzy" commercials for our local utilities, they wish to promote themselves as being at the heart of their communities...but do they put their money where their bureaucratic mouths are?

And where was this nephew? (Sorry, the article may address this) Even if they live far away, I would hope the family would at least check in on such an elderly relative. Even if he were a nasty old coot who pushed them away, they should at least check up on him through neighbors, law enforcement, etc.

Same for the neighbors...I've had neighbors I don't particularly care for, but I keep an eye out. It takes such little effort to make certain you see them moving about, lights going on and off, etc.

What about postal workers? Around here, mail carriers are instructed to keep an eye out for the elderly along their routes.

What about community churches? Perhaps this man was not a member of any church, but I bet some of his neighbors were, or that various clergy passed his house while making rounds. Why not reach out?

Did anybody care?

Or was it easier for everyone to talk big about how good they are while looking the other way?

I repeat, we ALL are neighbors. This man's entire community (and, honestly, his entire country) failed him. It's not a case of personal responsibility or who is to blame. It's all part of being human and remembering that this is not an address, an account number, a nearby house -- this was a human being.

And this sad story makes us that much less human.


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