This is a great example of the often dire, heart-rending straits that older people find themselves in when it comes to dealing with astronomically high medical bills. Per nypost.com, Gary Saling should be savoring his retirement these days. At 80 years of age, he has earned it. Saling spent his career as an architect. You would think that he would now be able to laze as he likes after working hard for so long.
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Sadly, that has not been the case. According to the outlet, Saling "has spent years working four days a week at Smith's Market in St. George" [Utah} to pay off enormous medical bills. His late wife had two types of dementia and died in mid-2020. She was cared for at home.
The two were inseparable. He explained, "We fell in love the day that we met at the park. We admitted that to each other later when we were dating."
Gary Saling Vowed To Keep His Ailing Spouse At Home
Saling was determined never to put Carol, his wife, in a nursing home. Per the outlet, he said, "I promised myself, God, her, her brother, her son and daughter, (her stepsons), I promised them I would not put her in a nursing home. I'd keep her at home and I kept it."
As it turned out, the price tag for having her at home was huge. Saling acknowledged, "I paid it all, that's why I'm broke." Some $40,000 went to home care alone.
His Professional Background Is Distinguished
During his career, Saling designed lavish mansions for high-profile clients. The firm he worked for made it "on the Architectural Digest top 100 list four times," a surefire sign of distinction.
Why Saling Worked At Smith's
There were a few reasons that Saling was employed at Smith's. First was his need for money to pay those hefty bills. Also he wanted a job that was relatively easy compared to the demanding role of an architect. Third, he wanted to meet people.
Someone He Met There Helped Him
One of the individuals Saling crossed paths with at Smith's was Duana Johnson. Moved by his financial plight, Johnson launched a fundraiser for him. It was reported on TV on Fox 13. The outlet noted that "Nearly $40,000 had been raised as of Sunday afternoon...." He hopes to retire by the end of the month with that money thankfully in hand.
Johnson is a very special and kind person. She said, "It's awesome to see that because it shows there's a lot of compassion and love in our country that a lot of people are speaking against. A lot of people are saying it's not that way, but I'm seeing the opposite."
She continued, "Gary told me that Carol was very faithful, she loved the Lord. I just feel like her prayers for him as she was leaving this Earth are being answered. She loved him so much."
