Tennessee

arikara

(5,562 posts) Wed Sep 12, 2012, 10:52 AM Sep 2012

A Tennessee family needs a bit of help

This isn't for me, actually its for someone I've never met before. This woman, a senior, posted on a stained glass list I am a member of. Her story is touching and sad, and if I had the ability to do so I would help her. Unfortunately I live too far away, on the west coast of BC. But I thought that someone in this big community here might have some tools and supplies that they aren't using anymore, or know of someone who does. She lives close to Knoxville Tennessee.

I'm posting the message she sent to the list with her permission. If anyone can help, please pm me for her contact info.

Hi, I just joined your group and was graciously accepted. My reason for joining is somewhat strange, but your moderator was kind enough to understand and let me join. Let me explain my circumstances:  Before we retired I gave my husband stained glass lessons as a birthday present so he'd have a hobby other than fishing when we retired. I never dreamed he would be so good at it. He has quite a bit of talent and a way with colors. So we retired to Tennessee and he would spend 6 to 8 hours in his basement "studio" playing with his glass, oldies music playing on his radio. He was so good that his nephew hired him to make new side lights for his front door in Illinois after a burglary resulted in his being broken.

 I know this is long, but please bear with me just a few minutes more..... 

My daughter and her husband lived down in Tennessee also. They were having marital problems. One night her husband came over to pick up the grandkids (I watched them while they worked) and he wanted to talk to Fred. Fred told him that he was busy with this piece of glass because his nephew was coming on the weekend to pick it up. That night our son in law committed suicide.  Fred has blamed himself ever since, him and the glass. He wouldn't touch it again. He sold all his equipment and supplies for a song.

 Now 5 years later he can no longer fish as his knees won't let him get in and out of the boat. So he sold his boat. He is sitting all day doing nothing. I tried to get him into all kinds of hobbies but he didn't care for any of them. Yesterday he told me he'd like to get back into stained glass. Thank God! Truly, thank God, my prayers were answered. 

Well I've been scouring the papers and Craigs list and Ebay for someone who no longer does stained glass and wanted to sell their set up. We've visited two people in our local area and both had just the worst stuff you could imagine for quite a price. We are retired and on a fixed income. When we first bought his equipment we were both working and could afford new. Now we have to be careful. So....finally, the reason I wanted to join your group was to see if anyone had any ideas on where to look for good used equipment. It isn't easy to write about and he doesn't even know I am trying to do this.  If anyone has any ideas where to look or maybe a web site to contact please let me know. I appreciate being able to join this group and I hope once he gets started he might join also.  

So thanks again,

 S~

Thanks for reading this and maybe one of you has the solution for this dilemma.