AND
AND FAKED
AND FAKED HIS OWN DEATH. CHRIS WILLIS BROKE THE STORY
THAT RECEIVED NATIONAL
ATTENTION.
ATTENTION. HE HAS AN UPDATE WITH MUCH-
NEEDED GOOD NEWS.
>> I DON'T EVEN HAVE THE WORDS
TO EXPRESS HOW GRATEFUL I AM.
>>> FOR LYNN THURSTON AND HIS -
- HER SISTER HAD BEEN AN
EMOTIONAL AND UNBELIEVABLE
JOURNEY.
JOURNEY.
JOURNEY. IT STARTED WHEN THEIR FATHER
WAS KILLED IN 1968 IN A HUNTING
ACCIDENT.
ACCIDENT.
ACCIDENT. >> I REMEMBER WHEN HE CAME TO
SAY GOODBYE AND HE LEFT AND HE
WAS SUPPOSED TO BE BACK IN A
COUPLE WEEKS.
COUPLE WEEKS. >> THE DEATH OF THEIR FATHER
CHANGE THE GIRL'S LIVES.
BETH AND LYNN RECEIVE SURVIVOR
BENEFITS FROM THERE THAT SOCIAL
SECURITY.
SECURITY.
SECURITY. ABOUT 10 AND $12,000 EACH,
THEIR MOM RECEIVED ABOUT
80,000.
80,000.
80,000. NOT A LOT BUT ENOUGH TO PICK UP
THEIR LIVES.
THEIR LIVES. IT HAPPENS EVERY DAY EXPERTS
SAY.
SAY.
SAY. >>>
SAY. >>> IF YOU DIE AND YOU HAVE
SURVIVOR'S WIDOW WIDOWER, OR
CHILDREN, IT THEY GET CERTAIN
AMOUNTS OF BENEFITS.
>> WHAT DOES NOT HAPPEN
EVERYDAY IS THAT THE SOCIAL
SECURITY ADMINISTRATION FOR
DECADES LATER WANTS ALL THE
MONEY BACK AND THE REASON WAS
DOUGLAS GRINSTEAD DID NOT
REALLY DIE IN A HUNTING
ACCIDENT.
ACCIDENT.
ACCIDENT. HE FAKED HIS DEATH, RAN OFF
WITH HIS MISTRESS AND ACTUALLY
DIED IN 2015.
AFTER A STORY WAS AIRED IN
NOVEMBER IT WAS PICKED UP AND
ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
>>> WE ARE SO GRATEFUL TO YOU
AND TO KGW FOR CHAMPIONING OUR
CAUSE BECAUSE WE TRIED TO GET
HELP AND NOTHING.
IT WAS LIKE WE FELT LIKE WE
WERE ISOLATED.
WERE ISOLATED. >>> SADLY THEIR MOM BARBARA
DIED IN SEPTEMBER AT THE AGE OF
89, AN INNOCENT VICTIM OF HER
HUSBAND'S DECEPTION.
HUSBAND'S DECEPTION. A MONTH LATER RULES HER ESTATE
MUST PAY BACK THE $80,000 AND
THE SOCIAL SECURITY
ADMINISTRATION ALSO DEMANDING
REPAYMENT FROM LYNN AND BETH SO
THEY FILED A WAIVER OF
FORGIVENESS AND DAYS AGO LYNN
WAS CONTACTED BY THE SSA
FINALLY WITH SOME GOOD NEWS.
>> SHE SAID IT - - THE DEBT HAS
BEEN A RAISED AND MY HUSBAND
AND I WE WERE JUST LIKE - -
>> IMMEDIATELY LYNN CALLED HER
SISTER.
SISTER.
SISTER. >> I CALLED HER AS SOON AS I
GOT OFF THE PHONE, AND I SAID
YOU NEED TO SIT DOWN.
SO SHE GOES, OKAY.
SO SHE SITS DOWN AND I SAID
THAT I JUST GOT A CALL AND OUR
DEBT HAD BEEN FORGIVEN.
>>> A FAMILY ATTORNEY
REPRESENTING THIS DATE OF THE
MOTHER TOLD US TODAY THAT
RECENT WAIVER AGAINST BETH AND
LYNN IS AN ENCOURAGING SIGN
THAT SOME LOCAL OFFICE
EMPLOYEES OF THE SSA DO HAVE A
HEART AND SOUL.
AND HOPEFULLY IT'S A HARBINGER
OF THINGS TO COME.
FOR LYNN AND BETH AND MS. THE
FAMILY TALE OF LIES, DECEPTION
AND HEARTACHE IN THE THREAD OF
DECIMATING THEIR ENTIRE
LIVELIHOODS, THEY ARE FINDING
GOOD AND ALL THE BAD.
>> IT HAS STRENGTHENED MY
RELATIONSHIP WITH MY SISTER AND
I THINK OUR FAMILY CORE IS
STRONGER.
STRONGER.
STRONGER. >>> OVERPAYMENTS HAD BEEN
FORGIVEN AND ERASED BY THE
SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION.
THEIR MOM'S DEATH AS STILL
OFFICIALLY PENDING AND HEADED
TO THE SAME DIRECTION.
THE CASE IS IN THE HANDS OF AN
APPEALS COMMITTEE IN VIRGINIA.
>>> THANK GOODNESS FOR LYNN AND
BETH.
BETH.
BETH. >>
BETH. >> NICE JOB.
SO THE MOTHERS OVERPAYMENT
FORGIVENESS WAS ALREADY HEARD
BY A JUDGE.
WHAT DOES THE RULING STAND
QUESTION MARK
QUESTION MARK >> BEFORE SHE PASSED AWAY THE
GIRL'S MOTHER BARBARA WENT TO
COURT.
COURT.
COURT. LORD JUDGE PATRICK CANNON RULED
IN HER FAVOR ORDERING HER TO
PAY $10 A MONTH FOR THE REST OF
HER LIFE AND UPON HER DEATH THE
ENTIRE BALANCE OF $87,000 WILL
BE ERASED, SHE DIED LESS THAN
TWO MONTHS LATER AND 36 DAYS
LATER JUDGE HANNON REVERSED HIS
DECISION AND DENIED HER WAIVER
REQUEST.
REQUEST.
REQUEST. THAT RULING IS UNDER APPEAL AND
THE COMMITTEE IS ALSO REVIEWING
THAT CASE.
THAT CASE. LYNN AND HER SISTER BETH
EVENTUALLY THEY ARE HOPING IT
WOULD BE FORGIVEN.
>>> YOU HAVE TO FEEL