(WSVN) - She had a husband threatening to kill her and their children. She fled to South Florida 53 years ago and built her life, but now, one tragedy after another is crushing her, so she turned to Help Me Howard with Patrick Fraser to try to find a way out.
She walked into the restaurant back in 1970 after fleeing a horrible life in Alabama.
Jerita Shorty Collins: “I put my kids on the Greyhound bus to get away from an abusive ex-husband, to keep him from killing them and me.”
When Shorty arrived at Jimmy’s Eastside Diner 53 years ago, she was a single mom raising three little boys.
She was hired as a waitress that day. She had found a home.
Jerita Shorty Collins: “I love it. I wish I could be there right now working.”
I have been one of Shorty’s customers for decades and saw how she needed encouragement to endure her agony after one son died from cancer at 18.
The next son died of cancer at 32 and her remaining son died of cancer at 43.
Jerita Shorty Collins: “And then, six months after my last son, I found my first bout with cancer.”
Her brother died of cancer. Everyone in her family is dead. But not her family from Jimmy’s.
Jerita Shorty Collins: “My customers give me the strength, from Jimmy’s, and they were always there for me.”
And as reliable as her customer’s support, is how cursed Shorty’s luck has been. After beating cancer and going back to work, her heart and kidneys started failing.
While in the hospital, lightning struck.
Jerita Shorty Collins: “My apartment had a leak. The lightning had struck the air conditioner on the roof, so my apartment was soaking wet.”
Unable to work, the bills piled up, and the bad luck continued.
Jerita Shorty Collins: “Early in the morning, on a Sunday morning, and it’s gone. Glass out there on the street.”
Her Hyundai Elantra was stolen. Shorty said it was a group of teenagers.
North Miami Police have arrested some kids who steal cars like Shorty’s.
Jerita Shorty Collins: “So they found it, and I got it fixed, got everything done, got it back.”
She brought it home. Five days later, she walked outside.
Jerita Shorty Collins: “Come out, and my car is gone again. Same thing happened: they broke the glass again.”
When Shorty called me to tell me her car had been stolen again, it’s the first time in all the years I’ve known her that she sounded defeated.
Jerita Shorty Collins: “I feel horrible. I feel like I’m the worst person in the world.”
Patrick Fraser: “What do you mean by that?”
Jerita Shorty Collins: “Because I have such rotten luck.”
Shorty is struggling in so many ways. When her last son got cancer, she mortgaged her condo to pay for his medicine. She spent her savings to replace the air conditioner and busted pipes.
She needs help, but Shorty hates to ask for help.
Jerita Shorty Collins: “But I’m embarrassed. because I know people need to help themselves.”
Well, Howard, when you are struggling in so many ways, legally is there any help?
Howard Finkelstein, 7News legal expert: “It’s referred to as the safety net to rescue low-income people or families who are down on their luck. Unfortunately, Florida is among the worst states in the country to help people in need. It’s why you have to turn to family, but Shorty doesn’t have any family left.”
But Shorty has friends. When we took her over to Jimmy’s, it’s clear why she spent 53 years here.
It’s her home, it’s her family. It made her smile.
Jerita Shorty Collins: “One of my busboys, I love, I call him my son. He is the best in the world.”
Shorty’s car was found in Broward County. It was ripped apart.
North Miami Police told me they were donating an anti-lock device to Shorty to hopefully prevent more bad luck.
Jerita Shorty Collins: “I don’t want anybody to feel sorry for me. They didn’t do it to me. I didn’t do it to me.”
If Shorty can get her car repaired, she doesn’t have to say what all her customers know. She wants to get healthy to go back to Jimmy’s.
Jerita Shorty Collins: “I’m tired, but I want to keep going. I miss my customers and a lot of the people I work with.”
And I have no doubt, if you walk into the restaurant in the next few weeks or months, Shorty will be back working again. One determined, remarkable lady.
But she needs money to fix her car, her condo. If you can chip in a little bit, a GoFundMe page has been created to help her. The link is at the end of this Help Me Howard story.
With this Help Me Howard, I’m Patrick Fraser, 7News.
CONTACT HELP ME HOWARD:
Email: helpmehoward@wsvn.com
Reporter: Patrick Fraser at pfraser@wsvn.com
Miami-Dade: 305-953-WSVN
Broward: 954-761-WSVN
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Shorty’s GoFundMe Page
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