Family Sells Everything on eBay to Pay Medical Bills

by Amy Hatch (Subscribe to Amy Hatch's posts) Jan 26th 2009 11:00AM

Categories: Money & Work, In The News, Weird But True

A Georgia family placed all their worldly goods up for auction on eBay after medical bills for their two sons drained their finances. Gregg and Brittiny Peters have three children, two of whom have severe medical issues: one has Stills Disease, an autoimmune disorder, and the other suffers from autism.

The Peters' had an agreement that they would sell everything they owned rather than give up their sons'' treatment and therapy. Gregg, who is self-employed, had been making ends meet, but the kids' medical issues combined with the economy combined to make that impossible.

So, they made good on their pact. According to the family's website, everythingweown.com, they are willing to part with all their stuff -- except their house and the kids -- and all of their belongings are up for bulk auction on eBay, for $21,000, 10 percent of which they plan to donate to Stills Disease and autism research.

It takes real guts to sell off every single thing you've worked for over the course of your life. But desperate times call for desperate measures, don't they? The good news is that the Peters family has garnered some pretty decent publicity since they launched their auction, and donations are pouring in.

We tell our kids a lot that stuff doesn't matter -- that what matters most is that we are a family, and that we'll always be together. The Peters family is living up to that ideal.

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Comments (11)

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

mamaloo 1-26-2009 @ 11:52AM

See, this is the problem with profit health care: no family should have to lose their possessions because they cannot pay for their own or their children's healthcare.

My recommendation: take a vacation to Cuba or move to Canada (or France or the UK or any of a few dozen more enlightened communities).

LS 1-26-2009 @ 1:42PM

My heart goes out to this family, but a simplistic attitude like "profit healthcare is at fault" is not the answer.

"Profit Healthcare," as you call it, is what has helped provide many of the drugs that helps keep their daughter with auto-immune deficiency alive. Without the profits that those drug companies make, MANY people who receive drugs through discount or free programs would not get them.

And Universal Healthcare, which you are pointing to as the Utopian answer - "go to Cuba (seriously? CUBA???), France, UK, or any of a dozen other enlightened countries". Really? These people have a problem paying for stuff now. HOW are they to pay for stuff under a Universal Healthcare system? Because that money HAS to come from somewhere, and it's going to come from taxes. Further, the government will decide what gets covered and what doesn't get treated, whether it gets treated, and HOW it gets treated.

There is no easy solution here. Yes, some medical solutions are expensive. Have they looked into existing medicaid programs? I know from experience that some public-health programs don't count what you have, they only look at your current income to determine whether or not you can receive help. Which would mean that they would be able to keep their washer AND the 62" HD TV.

Not to be callous here, but why does the dad have to continue being self-employed? If it's not working for his family, why can't he go work for a company that has health insurance benefits? Why can't Mom go get a job and dad stay home?

As I said, there are no easy solutions, INCLUDING universal healthcare. And to point to that as the only/best solution is deluding yourself.

Karen 1-26-2009 @ 2:08PM

So mamaloo...is everyone entitled to unlimited health care no matter what they can afford?

I feel for this family, I really do. And I do want to reform health care, and I'm not sure how to do it, but I don't want government to be in control nor do I believe that we can afford unlimited healthcare for everyone.

I think everyone is entitled to basic healthcare, but not necessarily unlimited healthcare -- transplants, extreme measures, etc. that they (and the rest of us) cannot afford.

Now, when it comes to children, I think they deserve more than just basic healthcare, but I don't know where to draw the line.

These other countries you list do not have ideal healthcare and I'm not ready to change over yet. Especially since at least once a year I have friends come from Cananda to get US health care.

That said, having gone through 3 hurricanes in 13 months, I really did learn that are stuff wasn't that important. Of course, seems we have replaced most of it, but my priorities are different. I could easily agree to sell everything to pay for health care for my kids.

Lara 1-26-2009 @ 1:26PM

This truly sucks... I can totally relate having just lost my job. My husband lost his over 6 months ago. We are just taking it day by day. But I am able to make some extra money online by taking surveys for big companies - I'm not getting rich (still looking for full time work) but every little bit helps http://www.makemoneybytakingsurveys.com Make Money Taking Surveys

Heather 1-26-2009 @ 4:39PM

Thanks for posting this link..however, who wants to PAY to make money. Doesn't really make sence to me.

Kim 1-26-2009 @ 1:34PM

so sad

isisaquaria 1-26-2009 @ 1:55PM

Sad, I agree. But if you are forced to do this for medical reasons--you do not donate 10% to any charity--because when this money runs out, and it will-what are you going to do?

penny 1-26-2009 @ 2:03PM

Thank you LS, Universal Health Care is not the answer we are looking for. Ask any Canadians close to the border and they come to the US for care on things like odd growths, tonsil removal, mammograms due to the wait. Some apts. must be made months in advance, ask anyone who has watched cancer grow, you may not have that time. We need common ground in the US not a Universal plan. It won't work.

Joy 1-26-2009 @ 2:33PM

My best girlfriend, as we speak, is sitting home with her soon to be 4 year old daughter who was born with a bladder that was "built" wrong. She's needed this surgery for almost 4 years and she just had it last week. She lives in Manitoba. They came to the US to see if it could be done here but they just couldn't afford is since they took out a "separate" policy to take care of things like this in Canada. But they were still on a waiting list for almost 4 years because "there were others worse off!" But had they been able to afford it, it could have been done in one week.

Don't even get me started on the health care there where all my relatives live. Ask Canadians about the taxes they pay on EVERYTHING and then tell me it's "free!" NOTHING is free and it all comes with a price. Give me OUR health care any single day of the week. When push comes to shove, us Americans get what we need to get done NOW.

Helen 1-28-2009 @ 5:18PM

All you need to do, is find a way to the Mexican borader, and tell people you just crossed it. The USA will then pay all your expences while some in our country go hungry. Then they have the nerve to complain about being treated poorly. Lord Help. Helen

Dawa 1-29-2009 @ 5:39AM

I don't know wat s health care and how to run a health care.
last night I heard this tragic news from CNN.
It sad about to hear this News.
I only know that Gregg and Brittiny Peters r trying they best to save their own kids.
It is great things parent to do their own kids.
I appreciate about Ur deed.
I'm a Tibetan Refugee student at present and I myself depending on SOS scholarship to continue my Master Degree.
Right now I total have 1114 Rupees in my Bank account.
So I'm willing to push 20$ for donate.
But I don't know how I can do this.
I have SBI Bank Credit card.
If there s any solution pushes on my mail ID
dawalhasa@gmail.com

Hi!
I'm suggesting U all that this s not blocks to discuss all Ur wit.
This is a blocks which can help peters family for medical allowances.
I'm not dying but I know there r people dying.
I need money but I know that somebody else needs it in more urgently than I do.
So, if U can help Gregg and Brittiny Peters, pliz help them; yeah leave them without bothering.
Thats all and I'm contributing all my merite for Ur children's health.
Good luck.
Dawalhasa.