Quadriplegic Prefers Death to Nursing Home

Dan Crews says he would rather die than live in a nursing home.

Facing a mountain of bills, the 27-year-old Antioch man who's been a quadriplegic since age three is on the verge of losing his home.

For most of his life, Crews has been living off of a $4.2 million settlement he received after the car accident that caused his injuries.  But now that money is running out, gone to pay for all of his medical expenses and the handicap-accessible home he shares with his 61-year-old mother, Cheryl.

"It's hell on Earth," he said Tuesday.  

Part of what Crews owes is $35,000 to the company which provides his in-home nursing care.  He estimates he owes "around $400,000, give or take" among all of his bills.

With the money gone, Crews and his mother fear a nursing home is the only next option.

"It's hard to know he is going to be in a place that no one is going to care about him," Cheryl Crews said with tears in her eyes.  "He has a house.  This house was built for him."

Crews is hoping someone generous can help his family financially, or that someone with the skills will build him a website so he can collect donations.  But he's also looking for another way out.

"Somebody to take my life away so that I can sell the house, pay some bills and they [his family] can be settled financially," he said.  "They have done anything and everything they could to help."

Crews believes he could be out of his home in about month.

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