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Writer's pictureCherie House

My Story and Why I Feel Compelled to Help Others


In 2006, my husband and I were on the cusp of what should have been the happiest chapter of our lives. We had just moved into a house in Knoxville, TN—a home we had watched rise from its very foundation. We had put down a significant amount of cash, leaving us with a modest mortgage of just $56,000 on a $356,000 property. It felt like we were finally achieving the American Dream.


But within two weeks, that dream turned into a nightmare. The house was destroyed by water, and soon after, we all fell ill due to toxic mold. We poured thousands of dollars into remediation, trying to save our home and our health. But when we turned to our insurance company for help, they coldly denied our claim, stating that "mold isn’t covered in Tennessee." It felt like the world had been ripped out from under us.


Both my husband and I were self-employed, and our health deteriorated to the point where we could no longer work. We lost all our contracts, and with it, our livelihood. My family never reached out for moral support but we relied heavily on our friends from the Church we attended.


Our five children—then aged 5 to 22—couldn’t fully comprehend the gravity of what had happened. We were alone, sick, and overwhelmed, watching helplessly as everything we had worked so hard for crumbled around us.


We had not only lost the initial investment in the house but also any chance of recovering through insurance. It was as if we had lost that money twice. The situation was entirely out of our control, and the stress of trying to resolve it was more than we could bear.


Lawyers turned us away, the insurance company refused to help, and we found no allies in the fight to reclaim what was ours. We even appeared on the local news in Knoxville five times, desperate for some form of assistance or justice. But in the end, we lost the house, our health, our excellent credit, and the financial security we had built over years of hard work.


What we didn’t know was that there was a light at the end of the tunnel—a light that no one told us about. Unknown to us, a government agency in the State of Virginia was holding funds that rightfully belonged to us. Because of the disaster that wasn’t our fault, we were due a large refund. But no one informed us. The state held that money for six years, waiting for us to claim it, and when we didn’t, it all escheated to the State of Virginia.


This experience is why I am so determined to stop others from losing what belongs to them. Between three different agencies that contributed to the devastation of our lives, we lost over $400,000. That money could have made a tremendous difference, but it slipped away because we simply didn’t know it was there. The losses were catastrophic—not just the financial hit, but the emotional and physical toll it took on our family.


I know firsthand how devastating these kinds of losses can be, no matter the amount of money involved. For some, even a small sum can be a lifesaver, something that helps them get back on their feet. But no one is going to come knocking on your door with a check, saying, “Here’s the money you’re owed.” Quite the contrary—someone at the state level may be hoping you never find out.


Our financial turmoil forced us to struggle for years. Bankruptcy wasn’t an option, so we had to tough it out. By the time we realized our insurance claim would be denied, we had already charged hundreds of thousands of dollars to repair the damage. We didn’t know that our insurance wouldn’t cover it, and that mistake cost us dearly. Even now, 18 years later, we’re still feeling the effects. Our credit has finally been repaired, and we’ve paid off almost all the debts from a house we only lived in for a few months.


If someone had come along and told us what I tell others today, our lives would have been vastly different. But without going through this ordeal, I wouldn’t have the knowledge or the drive to help others in similar situations. So, if I or anyone on my team reaches out to you, please listen. We’re here to help you claim what’s rightfully yours. If you don’t give us that chance, you’re only hurting yourself and those who love you.


People may feel obligated to help you through these tough times, but if you have the opportunity to take care of yourself with the money that’s owed to you, why not at least explore that option?


Below is the house we lost in 2008. We don't even know who was holding our money, we just know it was ours -- but we never knew it existed. It could have changed our lives.

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