When you see a child in need of help, money is often the last thing on your mind. It’s instinct to help take care of those most vulnerable and worry about the cost later.
So that’s what one Georgia teacher did when her student needed her. She took charge of what she could at the time, and left the rest of the details for later.
But then later came, and the woman found herself with $48,683 worth of debt and two children to raise. But Chelsea Haley, 22-years-old at the time, was determined to find a way through.
She had student loans, but much of Haley’s debt came from when she adopted her two sons, 17-year-old Jerome and 6-year-old Jace.
Haley, while working in Louisiana with Teach for America, met Jerome, then 12. The fourth-grader was failing in his subjects, and often being suspended.
Haley, now 29, told reporters at Good Morning America (GMA) that she wanted to find a way to give Jerome support. So she became a fixture in the young boy’s life. “After exhausting all of my resources in the classroom, I realized the only way to reach Jerome was to get to know him and just build a relationship,” she said.
View this post on Instagram
“I started spending a lot of time with him outside of school, going to his football games, his basketball games, just hanging out with him at home, buying school supplies and groceries, all those kinds of things.”
And it worked. Jerome opened up to Haley and soon, Jerome asked Haley if she would let him come and live with her. With Jerome’s birth-mother agreeing, Haley gained custody of not only Jerome, but his younger brother, Jace. Then she completed the expensive process of going through court to adopt both of them.
In his new home, Jerome became an honor-roll student. “I don’t think there are many words to really describe just how awesome it is to celebrate all of Jerome’s achievements,” she said, smiling.
I think it just goes to show that he’s always had the potential, all he needed was the support and the self-confidence to be successful. I’m just really, really proud of him.”
But Haley still had to deal with the crushing debt her new family was in. She told GMA that her savings account had been depleted to pay for the attorney while she was seeking custody of the boys. Along with student loans, and debt that came from trying to take care of her new sons, she found herself trapped.
Instead of letting it be too much, though, Haley used the same determination that brought her the children. She took on side jobs, delivered groceries and sold her home, moving back in with her parents, just to pay off every bill.
“On top of being a teacher, I was tutoring a couple days a week,” Haley said. She told GMA she would also receive extra pay for staying late one night a week at her school, working as a building manager.
“It doesn’t feel real yet,” Haley said, of now being debt free. “It’s so amazing. I even logged into my student loans and it said, ‘Cleared. Zero balance.’”
Her next goal, she said, was saving to buy a family home. But for now, she’s happy as things are.
“Being their mom is the greatest blessing of my life. I get to wake up in the morning and love two little guys,” Haley said.
Haley’s Tips To Recover From Debt
- List all your goals, starting with the high-interest bills you’d like to pay off.
- Look through your paycheck and pay attention to what you’re spending money on.
- Consider additional sources for income, if your time allows.
- Learn to say no to certain money-spending habits.
Source: Good Morning America
