A Veteran’s Story: Marshall Shull
Marshall Shull served 20 years in the United States Marine Corps. He’s served in multiple deployments including Operation Enduring Freedom. He is a husband and a father of two sons. The Shulls first moved to their Clermont home in 2018, while Marshall was still on active duty.
When Marshall’s time in service ended in 2019, for the first time he had no stability and financial hardships began to set in. He found it difficult to find employment and began to drive Uber to have a source of income to support his family.
His battles with PTSD caused him to sink into depression and found it difficult to adjust to his life as a civilian. He had no stable source of income and is not eligible to receive his pension until he turns 56 years old. He is currently 50 years old.
After four long years he was finally successful in getting a 100% VA disability rating for his PTSD. However, due to a clerical mistake some years ago, half of the income he receives from his disability is being recouped by the VA for the next 2 years, which created a significant financial hardship.
“I was struggling…mentally, emotionally, and financially. I was afraid for my family. I couldn’t do that to my boys.” – Marshall
Finally, after having nowhere to turn, Marshall reluctantly reached out for help, which led him to being referred to Habitat Lake-Sumter’s repair program. Unfortunately, due to funds being exhausted, he was placed in our pipeline for future service. Marshall would wait for 2 years before being served, during that time he and his wife filed for bankruptcy and were at risk of being homeless.
Finally, a beacon of hope emerged through funding with VHRM and Publix and we were able to serve the Shull family with a brand-new roof and septic system, which was a huge financial relief. Prior to the repairs, Marshall was at risk of losing his home insurance, which would have affected his ability to satisfy the mortgage.
The Shulls are grateful to the organizations and charities that stepped in to fill the gap for his family to maintain their stability and most importantly their home.
“Things were really tough, and it was a very dark time for me. “The organizations that stepped in to help us including you guys [HFHLS] prevented us from being homeless.
For veterans, who are often fighting in crisis silently, these repairs are more than just cost saving, they are key interventions that prevent homelessness.
“I would not have been able to do this on my own. Because of Habitat, I can keep my home and my coverage. Although we’re not out of the woods yet, I can finally see a clearing.”- Marshall