My name is Michele, and I have been a Patrol Officer in Boston for more than a dozen years.

Before that, I served as a first responder in another state for over fifteen years. Throughout my career, I have dedicated myself to protecting and serving others. During this time, I was also fighting a deeply painful disease, Thalassemia. while dealing with an abnormal divorce. It was physically, emotionally, mentally, and financially draining. I lost my personal life, my career, my home, my relationship with my kids, and the stability I had worked so hard to build.

It took 14 yrs before one child came back. Now, once she told her sisters and father that I was in her life, that it was what she wanted, and after being the only brave one to come to me for the truth, they have forced her to choose them again. While I never asked any of my kids to choose ever.

In that same year, I also lost my father, his father, and brother, and two work partners. Despite all of this, I continued to show up for my community and do my job to the best of my ability while trying to rebuild my life. There was no help for me no matter where I turned. After years of struggle, living in my car, driving, and working in three states to establish my residency and move forward to start my life from the ground up here.

I was finally in a good place health-wise and had my Alpha/Beta Thalassemia at bay. I had signed a contract with a media company to bring my stories to the screen, and the first book in my series had been published. I was just recognized for the article I wrote as an Influential Woman in the 2026 Influential Women.

I have no real social life, I have never drunk, and I do not gamble or frivolously spend money.

When I am not working (which I have specific doctors' orders right now), I go to church, the gym/PT, and spend time with my now almost 15-year-old retired K9. I have spent every birthday for the last 15 yrs alone, treating myself to lunch on the beach. I have spent every holiday alone or spent my money to do for others and have never asked for or gotten anything in return. I took my first vacation last year in 14 yrs. I had to cancel this year and lost my deposit. I could not pay for the rest in time.  The point is, I hate asking for help, and I am sharing these details because I mean what I say and say what I mean. 

For the first time in a long time, everything seemed to be moving in a positive direction.

I had ONE GOOD SOLID YEAR ANYWAYS...

Then, a couple of years ago, I was injured in a shooting while on duty. I was running to keep the kids from getting hit by what turned out to be more than 27 bullets flying. As I ran, I fell off a curb, sprained my ankle, twisted my back, and one of those bullets went under my arm, put a hole in my coat, and left a burn mark. Thank God for my vest and the cruiser I bounced off of — and for the Good Lord watching over me — because those things saved my life that day.

I have spent the last two years doing everything asked of me and going through all the motions to try to heal and keep working. I even accepted a temporary federal civilian contract with DHS/ICE for a light transportation duty, just to keep some income coming in. Unfortunately, that paycheck is now gone since they signed the bill to keep ICE out.

Right now, my only income is workers’ compensation and my partial state police retirement. I have lost all my insurance except workers’ comp. My Social Security has been frozen until my department settles. Now that they have my tax returns and WC information, I am praying that if the department does not settle, it will be reinstated as SSDI — especially since my lifelong disease, Thalassemia (the Mediterranean version of sickle cell), is something I fought to have recognized during the year I was not paid. Unions and Lawyers just do not seem to care anymore. 

I had taken that DHS/ICE contract, had also set up my LLC so i could do a platform for my photography, my designs of shoes and accessories plus had published that first book of my series, which sold out; however, that publisher took the rest of the money I had to publish and then did not pay my royalties and di not put the book on enough platforms. I had no money to take it to court. I lost all my platforms because they cost money, and I no longer have them at this time. That means no income from any of those. I have a new publisher, and he will make sure he gets that first book back out there and book two, which is finished. Those will go on plenty of platforms. He is also a First Responder, and I can trust him to help, but he does have to get paid, too. 

In the meantime, I still have two teeth that need to be fixed from a work accident that they will not include on workers’ comp. My recent MRI request from my orthopedic doctor was also denied, which we needed to see where things stand with my back. I have to get myself to the Hemo/Onco doctor since my symptoms returned, and I have not been able to go. You can not make an appointment anywhere for any healthcare with no Insurance. 

I have bills to pay. I do not have any family I can depend on, and after my dad passed, I tried to help care for my mother. She is now almost 80 and has had to go back to work. I can’t help her because I am barely managing to help myself.

I am exhausted, worn out, and scared of losing everything I have fought to rebuild — especially the opportunity to create a stable income for myself going forward through my writing and media projects. I have served my community for decades, and now I am humbly asking for help. This is all putting me in a place that I have been draining for me, not just financially, but mentally. I do not have it in me any longer to do this again to the extent that it is.

Your support will help me cover essential living expenses, medical and dental costs that are not being covered, and allow me to keep my apartment, continue treatment, and protect the future I have been working so hard to build. Any donation, no matter the size, would mean the world to me.

Thank you for taking the time to read my story and for considering a donation to this “Mother in Blue.”

Stay Blessed and Stay Well.