I’m only 16, but I know I’ll have problems when I’m older. 

My mom works just above minimum wage and barely makes enough to pay rent, let alone the mortgage on our house that won’t sell. It’s about to foreclose. We can’t live there because the bills are too much. I’m the only family my mom has. All of her family is dead. She has mental illnesses including depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, and more. She can’t afford her medicine. 

My dad owes thousands to the IRS due to things my mom did when they were married. He can barely pay his mortgage. He can’t pay child support. He can’t afford to let me get my dental work done because he has heart disease, and if anything happens, he needs the insurance money. 

My grandpa has severe lung and liver cancer. He doesn’t have much longer. They can’t pay the medical bills. 

As for me, I’m an honor student at one of the best high schools in the country. I could be going to almost any college I want, but I’ll end up at state college because my mom spent my college funds (due to her mental illnesses) on a $20,000 bracelet and a $20,000 ring. I don’t know where they went. I want to get my PhD, but I doubt I’ll ever be able to. I don’t know what to do. I don’t know who to turn to. I don’t know what’s going to happen.

I’m scared. I’m going crazy. My mom’s already there. I need help. I can’t do it on my own.

We are the 99%. Occupy Wall Street.