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Real, Serious, Urgent: Fellow Mechwarrior Robbed At Gunpoint


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#1 Kobura

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Posted 04 April 2013 - 11:25 PM

Friend of mine and fellow MWO pilot, [Name Redacted], was about 6am GMT 4/5/13, mugged at gunpoint in Chicago while gassing up during his move from CO to PA. I'm not even going to get into the fight-back argument. What's done is over with, and I and he need desperate help to keep him from being destroyed by this.

They took his iPhone 3GS (which from what I understand did not have any wipe/protection engaged on it) and all of his cash travel money.

At this moment, a couple hours later, he's asleep in a Ramada in Indiana. The police were below zero help: "If you didn't get a photo there's really nothing we can do", he wasn't even encouraged to file a police report after seeking out a squad car.

I don't believe they took his cards, but the money he has is carefully balanced to make it through the expenses of moving (just his car full of things, to get here and find work while staying in my spare room) and the next week or two of expected expenses. He didn't even have money to offer for food while he's here until his feet get on the ground, and now he has less.

He's a five-year veteran who served two separate tours in Afghanistan, recently married, handicapped by injury in the line of duty, and out recently enough to still be struggling with the VA to get some sort of consideration or compensation.

This will destroy him if he doesn't get help. I have absolutely no resources of my own, my personal cellphone has been in default since January and my CC defaulted in February, but I swore I'd do everything in my power.

My power has always been people. I'm an organizer, a leader, a mediator and even sometimes an icon, able to rally anyone I find myself with to great things. So, I go to you, those I find alongside me, just as I'm at your side.

The people I find at my shoulder, for some reason, always been part of the highest caliber of souls. Additionally, through circles of friends come and gone, other hobbies past and present, and all manner of calamity, there has been the constant of Battletech for the last decade or more keeping my lasers warm. Despite my leering personal poverty and disability, I've always been told I 'pay my way' with kindness and warmth and help, volunteering and offering my time everywhere I can, giving of myself partially because I have absolutely nothing else to give, but mostly because I don't know any other way to live.

Please don't misunderstand that I'd never do something as crass as plea in public if there were anything else, but here I am.

Help me help this man. I don't even know where to start.

Edited by Niko Snow, 09 April 2013 - 01:01 PM.
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#2 Kobura

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Posted 08 April 2013 - 09:15 PM

Thanks to the few of you that responded. Both of you really help me feel like a light shines in the modern times.

The rest... well. "thanks" I guess for not trolling the post at least, or something.

Emotional support would've even been nice, but I guess that's too much to ask.

#3 Purplefluffybunny

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Posted 09 April 2013 - 09:23 AM

The mods need to take at look at this thread.

#4 Kobura

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Posted 09 April 2013 - 05:39 PM

I appreciate it, Niko. Things are alright now, ish. The next weeks will see how finances work out.

Some promising stuff, though. I apologize, I didn't realize that I was breaching his privacy.

Also, "thanks" purplewhatsamahoozits. "Thanks".

#5 SteelyDan

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Posted 09 April 2013 - 05:59 PM

Well, another black mark for my Hometown... Sorry, about your friend, Kobura...
I'm really glad he didn't become another Statistic...
And you know what I mean!
Pity, he didin't turn on the phone tracker... would have got the bad guy, quick!

#6 p8ragon

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Posted 09 April 2013 - 08:32 PM

I don't know you Kobura, nor your friend. But I'll keep him in my prayers. What happened really sucks, and there aren't any 'magical' words anyone can say to make everything better. What you can do however, is focus on the positives. Atleast he didn't get hurt during the mugging. Money is something that can always be made again. Life is infinitely more precious and fragile. Your friend did the right thing (in my mind) of not fighting back. There is definitely going to be a financial strain short term, but atleast he's still relatively young, and can hopefully find a job that isn't hindered by his wartime injury.

Best of luck to both of you.

#7 SPencil

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Posted 10 April 2013 - 02:31 PM

[REDACTED]
Kobura, I'm really sorry to hear about what happened. I wish I could help but unfortunately I'm in my own sticky situation, or else I would. All I can do is offer my best wishes and hope that everything turns out for the better.

Edited by Viterbi, 10 April 2013 - 04:41 PM.
Removed reference to removed content


#8 Kobura

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Posted 11 April 2013 - 01:08 AM

Thanks for the sentiment. It matters, it really does.

Next time, I'm going with him.





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