Saturday, July 9, 2011

HAVE A HEART-PART 2- UPDATED NEWS


Sadly, there has been no change in the lives of Kathleen and Carl Sorabella since my original post. NOT one human response from his former employer, just a bunch of truly meaningless words in a press release, in particular the hypocritical arrogance that they are "reaching out to our former employee to determine if there is a way we can be supportive to his family during this time." 

Wow, maybe they should have reached out and been supportive of him when he asked for their help before firing him. It does not take a rocket scientist to as they say, determine if there is a way to be supportive during this time. 

Hire Mr. Sorabella back to his original job, stop with the feeble attempts to justify this company's incredibly cruel, sub human behavior, and save what little is left of your negligible integrity. 

You as a Company made a stupid, heartless mistake, now you can easily fix it. Instead of transparently defensive press releases and self righteous statements that no one believes, they are digging a deeper hole for themselves to crawl out of.

I suppose that is too much to expect from those whose acts of complete disregard in showing basic human compassion, loyalty, and meanness are perpetrated by bosses who think that they are better than the rest of us, whose concept of doing business, includes terminating an employee who has a loved one seriously ill.

Not one job offer from another Company in the great State of Massachusetts for Mr. Sorabella. How pathetically embarrassing for a State once known for its progressive thinking, courage, and pride to fight for its citizen's rights. SHAME ON YOU!

People of MASSACHUSETTS, this could be any of you, is there no Corporation, Business, or Human Being that will step forward to support these 2 human beings in need. SHAME ON YOU MASSACHUSETTS  for not offering this man a job, are you that apathetic, and selfish to reach out and help your fellow man?

A few months ago there was a story that was all over the media about a homeless man in Ohio with a gift for voice-overs, who had been singing on the side of the road, holding a sign asking for donations so he could survive. He was dubbed the "golden voice"  and immediately offered an announcing job with the NBA Cleveland Cavaliers basketball team. If Ohio can rise to the occasion, certainly Massachusetts can.

Surely, Carl Sorabella, a professional, highly experienced Accountant, with excellent references, even from his former employer of 15 years, must have someone in Massachusetts that needs a highly skilled employee like him. Certainly there are people and Company's that are flexible enough to work with his willingness to do whatever is necessary to do the job right? 

Where are the religious institutions in the great state of Massachusetts, Churches, Synagogues, Mosques, here is a family crying out for help, are you so blind and deaf, that you neither see nor hear them. You who serve a higher calling of the Lord, where are you as you sit on your backsides in your fancy edifices, impressed with your buildings, preaching love, caring Holiness, and prayers for mankind. SHAME ON YOU!

I had the honor of Kathleen Sorabella thanking me the other day through a comment she left for my first post about her and Carl on this Blog. A few days later, we chatted a short time on the Internet. She is a humble person, decent, and has worked her way up the professional ladder under the most difficult of circumstances. This is someone who deserves our support and the best that can be done for her. She is both severe physical and emotional pain.

HAVE A HEART!!! Is there no decency left in this Country that the Sorabella's will continue to be ignored and left to rot? Does no one care about reducing their anxieties that can be fixed by helping Carl earn a living to support his family?  Surely we are a better, more compassionate, caring people than that. We will see!

THE UPDATED NEWS STORY IS DIRECTLY BELOW:

Update: Man Gets Fired After Wife Gets Cancer

By Lisa Johnson Mandell, Posted July 7th 2011 @ 1:08PM

Remember the feature that AOL Jobs ran last month about Carl Sorabella, the Massachusetts accountant who got fired when he asked for flex time to care for his wife, who had just been diagnosed with Stage IV lung cancer? We wish we could give you a happy update, but the fact is, things are not looking good for the Sorabellas, despite an overwhelming number of supportive comments from our readers.

Haynes management, the family-owned company with 21 employees that let Carl go, issued a long statement that can be found on WickedLocal.com. It stated, among other things: "The leadership of Haynes is confident that we followed appropriate practices in connection with recent events concerning a member of our staff. Media reports regarding the circumstances of this decision have been inaccurate; however, out of respect for the privacy of the individual involved, we will not comment on the specifics. In recognition of their unique circumstances and level of hardship created by his wife's illness, Haynes Management is reaching out to our former employee to determine if there is a way we can be supportive to his family during this time."

No Job Offers Yet
Sorabella and his wife, Kathleen, have no comment about that statement, but the fact of the matter is, he is still out of work, and they remain dependent on the Medicaid benefits that she receives through her disability. Those expenses are mounting, however, and the couple is unsure of the co-pays.

"Carl hasn't received any job offers yet, although he sends out at least five resumes a day. I don't know if people are reluctant to hire him since they know he won't be able to work regular hours," Kathleen Sorabella told AOL Jobs. She says that she'd like to go back to work herself as a psychotherapist, even if it's just for a couple of hours per week, but at present, she feels she's just too sick to be of help to her patients.

She is right in the middle of a cycle of chemotherapy treatments and, as expected, her hair is falling out, her teeth hurt and she's nauseous most of the time. She won't know if the treatments are effective until September, when another scan will be done. "Right now, it's about living with the terror of uncertainty," she says.

A little help from their friends

With her husband out of work, finances have become challenging. Friends and acquaintances talked about setting up a charitable trust for them at a local bank in the Boston area, but they were overwhelmed with the amount of paperwork, and that project fell by the wayside. The Sorabellas are understandably uncomfortable with setting up a fund for themselves.
Generous and resourceful readers found their address in the directory, and have been sending checks, good wishes and prayers, for which the Sorabellas say they are extremely grateful, and Kathleen Sorabella intends to send thank-you notes to everyone as soon as she feels well enough to write. So far, about $800 has come their way.
 
The sentiment, however, has been overwhelming. AOL readers have chimed in with more than 4,245 comments and about 12,000 Facebook Likes, at last count. A Facebook page, called "I hate Haynes Management Inc.," has a rousing discussion going, with 1,481 Likes. 

Readers who would like to support the Sorabellos can send funds directly to them at 14 Lincoln St., Natick, Mass., 01760-4721.

Meanwhile, Kathleen Sorabella says that the couple is trying to figure out how to "live as much life as possible, knowing that I might be dying." They renewed their wedding vows a few weeks ago on their 23rd anniversary, and they'd like to take a drive up to see Niagara Falls, if she gets well enough to travel. "I hear a clock ticking in my head," she says. "But I'm a fighter -- we both are."

8 comments:

  1. Here it is just posted by my friend at one of the most respected Blogs online- Way To GO Mike and Maxene!!!!!!!!! Let's hope this gets Kathy and Carl their overdue publicity that will force Hayes Management Inc to do the right thing, or have some other Company step forward, and rally more support for this family.

    http://jonathanturley.org/2011/07/10/wife-gets-cancer-husband-gets-fired/


    Wife Gets Cancer, Husband Gets Fired « JONATHAN TURLEY
    jonathanturley.org
    I’ll compress the facts of this case in order that I get to the heart of what is wrong here. A Massachusetts Accountant’s wife has Stage IV Lung Cancer, with a prognosis of months to live. He went to his employer of 13 years, with whom by their own admission he had an exemplary record, to request a..................................

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  2. Do you have any other updates on this couple?? Thank you for posting this!!

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  3. As of August 31st- Kathy was hospitalized on August 31st, and Carl was never rehired by Haynes Management. He remains unemployed and caring for his wife. The full current update below is from the Face Book "I Hate Haynes Management Site at:

    https://www.facebook.com/pages/I-hate-Haynes-Management-Inc/111742002249387

    "Update: Please say a prayer for Kathy and Carl. Kathy was hospitalized today and while I don't know much of the situation, I do know that she isn't well. They are two incredibly strong people but even strong people need someone to lean on occasionally. Please say a prayer and may our prayers help to support them when they need it most. Kathy, I admire you. Keep fighting my friend."

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  4. LATEST UPDATE IS MUCH BETTER-DIRECT FROM KATHY SORABELLA AS FOLLOWS:

    Kathy Sorabella:
    CAT scan results in: "marked improvement in both lungs". 15 liver tumors now (2- one smaller, one no change ), lymph nodes stable (no change ). NO NEW TUMORS!!!
    September 1, 2011 at 9:26pm.

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  5. NEWEST UPDATE: DIRECT FROM KATHY SORABELLA AS FOLLOWS:

    Kathy being taken to Newton-Wellesley Hospital per order of Oncologist. Weaker today and possible internal bleeding-September 3, 2011 at 12:30 AM

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  6. SMOC pays tribute to shelter's founder
    By Danielle Ameden/Daily News staff
    MetroWest Daily News

    Posted Sep 09, 2011 @ 12:36 AM


    Kathy Sorabella knows what it's like to live on the streets.

    The fact she was homeless for two years as a young adult inspired her to open a shelter to give hard-luck women like her a place to go.

    "My fear (was) dying and never having made a difference in the world," Sorabella said yesterday. "(I wanted) to provide a safety net when one didn't exist in this area."

    The Shadows shelter at 25 Central St. was renamed yesterday in honor of its 44-year-old founder, who is dying of colon cancer.

    Sorabella recalled how she worked hard to start the program in 1993 before passing the reins to the South Middlesex Opportunity Council.

    "I wanted it to outlive me - not this soon, but it's going to outlive me and that's all I care about," she said before yesterday afternoon's ceremony.

    The Natick resident received her terminal diagnosis in April.

    She said she was humbled by the recognition yesterday from SMOC Director Jim Cuddy and others. The honor, though, was bittersweet.

    The shelter's name stands for Shelter Hope And Dignity Of Women Searching.

    Sorabella recalled having trouble finding a place to go at 18, when she had aged out of the state Department of Social Services placement system. At the time, there were more beds for mothers and for men than single women, and shelters "just didn't feel like a safe option," Sorabella said.

    "There was no net for this population," she said.

    She was stuck in a Catch-22: needing an address to get a job, and needing a job to get an address.

    Sorabella eventually found work through an old acquaintance.

    She networked and researched how to open a homeless shelter. The doors to Shadows opened thanks to a grant from the state.

    "I do have women who, when they find out I'm the founder, will come up to me and thank me profusely," Sorabella said.

    "With Kathy, the client was always first," Cuddy said. "Kathy believed in the power of each of the women to work through her struggles and move on."

    The Shadows program connects formerly homeless women to jobs, housing and health care, including substance abuse and mental health services.

    The program, along with SMOC's Meadows program, share the Central Street house. The Meadows program serves women leaving prison.

    Sorabella earned a psychology degree at Framingham State and a master's in social work from Simmons College. Afterward, she worked for Framingham-based SMOC as clinical coordinator for the women in transition program and also as a psychotherapist.

    She and her husband, Carl, never had children.

    The shelter "is my child, and she's in good hands," Sorabella said.

    Read more: http://www.metrowestdailynews.com/archive/x948305065/SMOC-pays-tribute-to-shelters-founder#ixzz1XW5clJKn

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  7. WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 21, 2015
    UPDATED OCTOBER 22, 2015-REST IN PEACE KATHY MAHONEY SORABELLA
    UPDATED-OCTOBER 22, 2015



    OBITUARY

    NATICK: Kathleen (Mahoney) Sorabella, LICSW, age 48, a lifelong Natick resident, died peacefully on Tuesday evening, October 20, 2015 at her home.

    She was the devoted wife of Carl D. Sorabella.

    Born, raised, and educated in Natick, she was a daughter of Edward F. “Ned” Mahoney of Natick and the late Barbara (Krauss) Mahoney.

    Kathy was very active in volunteerism and community affairs, and had been instrumental in bringing back Fourth of July fireworks to Natick.

    Her caring for others led her to conceive and bring to fruition SHADOWS, a safe place of refuge for women in need. Eventually entrusted to SMOC, SHADOWS is thriving to this day.


    Kathy was recognized for her work in 1994, when she was hailed MetroWest Woman of the Year. She was honored to be a member of the Olympic Torch Relay Team for the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta.

    After a well deserved rest, Kathy earned a Bachelor’s Degree from Framingham State University and went on to receive her Master’s in Social Work from Simmons College in 2008. After clinical work she was granted her LICSW by the state.

    She enjoyed travel, family and friends, and in quiet times enjoyed creative writing and all genres of music.


    Mother of the late Ryley Sorabella, she is also survived by her siblings, Kevin Mahoney and his wife Sharon of AZ, Marcia Haines and her husband Michael of FL, Thomas Mahoney and his wife Michelle of Sandwich, and Kara Malcolm and her husband Chip of Natick; sisters-in-law, Doreen Newhouse of Germany, Denise Sorabella of So. Yarmouth, and Gail Guarino and her husband Richard of Gardner; an uncle, Paul Krauss and his wife Sally of NC; and many nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.


    Her funeral will be from the John Everett & Sons Funeral Home, 4 Park Street at Natick Common, on Monday, Oct. 26th at 9:00AM with a Mass of Christian Burial in Saint Linus Church, 119 Hartford Street, Natick at 10:00AM.

    Burial will follow at Saint Patrick Cemetery.


    Visiting hours will be on Sunday, 5 – 8PM.

    Donations may be made in Kathy’s memory to benefit her brainchild, SHADOWS, c/o SMOC, 7 Bishop St., Framingham, MA 01702.

    To View Guestbook, Sign Guestbook and Directions to the Funeral Home-CLICK HERE.

    -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    REST IN PEACE KATHY MAHONEY SORABELLA


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  8. REST IN PEACE KATHY MAHONEY SORABELLA



    Kathy Sorabella died on October 20th, 2015 at the age of 48, after a long battle against cancer.

    I never met Kathy or her husband Carl (see picture above, they were inseparable) but had written a two part series about about their struggles in 2011 (see the series at the links below).

    http://jerrywolkoff.blogspot.com/2011/07/have-heart.html

    http://jerrywolkoff.blogspot.com/2011/07/have-heart-part-2-updated-news.html

    Kathy Sorabella knew what it meant to struggle, fight, and never give up.

    The fact she was homeless for two years as a young adult inspired her to open a shelter to give hard-luck women like her a place to go.

    "My fear (was) dying and never having made a difference in the world," Kathy Sorabella once said, but she then became an accomplished Social Worker, obtained her Masters Degree in Social Work, and her Certification license from the State of Massachusetts.

    And she did make a difference in people's lives despite her hardships as a homeless young adult and later in her brave battle with Cancer.

    Kathy and I exchanged e-mails over the years and she showed me and the others who knew her what the meaning of courage is all about.

    Kathy was intelligent, compassionate, loving, kind and driven by a deep desire to make a positive difference in the world

    When that girl got something in her head, there was no stopping her from fighting to get what she wanted.

    It's so sad that her life ended this way after all she overcame in using her own difficulties to learn how to help others.

    She accomplished a lot of good, and did it with incredible passion.

    Kathy Mahoney Sorabella was a warrior who fought against evil, loved life, and died much too young.

    She will be missed by those who knew her and is an inspiration to all of us as a human being who made a difference in this world.

    REST IN PEACE KATHY.



    Posted by Jerry Wolkoff at 11:06 PM
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    4 comments:

    MichOctober 22, 2015 at 11:04 AM
    OMG!!! Jerry, this is beautiful and you described Kathy perfectly, you said it so perfectly and with such a deep and caring heart, to know her was to love her, no you never met her, but, you for sure knew her, everything you said about her was because of all your talks you had with her, thank you for this, it brought tears to my eyes and heart, but, in a good way, so thank you so much....
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    Replies

    Jerry WolkoffOctober 22, 2015 at 6:24 PM
    Thank You Mich. Warriors like Kathy are inspirational, special people, but they cannot fight forever before their strength eventually leaves them. Kathy deserves to be remembered not only as someone of courage but also to deeply appreciate the simple things in life that many others ignore. I tried to convey that in my words as feelings and am glad that you are able to feel what I wrote about her.
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    UnknownOctober 22, 2015 at 7:31 PM
    Her legacy is her spirit. You are all in my thoughts and prayers.
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    Christy BlitheOctober 22, 2015 at 11:08 PM
    Kathy was such a amazing person with a heart of gold. I will miss her beautiful smile & her kind eyes. So thankful to have shared some wonderful memories with her. Sending my thoughts & prayers.

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