Don Dolan has been diagnosed with cancer after having a number of surgeries, losing his job, and looking after his wife and three autistic children
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A MAN has been left with only his prayers following a terrible chain of events that has led to the eviction of his family.

Don Dolan from Crystal Lake, Illinois is fighting both cancer and his eviction after a horrifying three years of bad luck.

Don Dolan has been diagnosed with cancer after having a number of surgeries, losing his job, and looking after his wife and three autistic children

Don Dolan has been diagnosed with cancer after having a number of surgeries, losing his job, and looking after his wife and three autistic childrenCredit: Bonnie Kassel
Dolan currently owes his landlord over $15,000 after falling behind on rent due to medical bills and his job loss

Dolan currently owes his landlord over $15,000 after falling behind on rent due to medical bills and his job lossCredit: Bonnie Kassel

The 65-year-old told The U.S. Sun that “nothing is going well” following a number of medical issues, the loss of his job, and the eviction.

Dolan lives at home with his wife and three children who have autism and works part-time at the local movie theater in a bid to bring in money.

He said: “The last three years have been a horrific chain of events culminating in four back surgeries, a knee replacement, [and] a current cancer diagnosis of the intestines and the stomach.

“I lost my full-time job a year and a half ago and I’m trying to find a new one while I’m working part-time at our local movie theatre.”

“Nothing is going well,” he sadly admitted.

“We are in the process of being evicted by our landlord…we were there for nine years.”

A copy of the landlord’s five-day notice dated August 17 states that $7,407.50 in rent is owed to the landlord Pathlight Property Management.

The letter states: “Unless payment thereof is made on or before the expiration of five days after service of this notice, your possession of said premises will be terminated.

“Only full payment of the rent demanded in this notice will waive the landlord’s right to terminate possession under this notice unless the landlord agrees in writing to continue the possession in exchange for receiving partial payment.”

In a bid to help Dolan and his family, local woman Bonnie Kassel set up a GoFundMe page on behalf of the Dolan family after finding out they have little over a month to leave their home.

The 55-year-old told The U.S. Sun that she met Dolan three months ago at the movie theatre where she found out about his ongoing struggles.

“He is a member of the community and I don’t think that anybody should be left on the street especially someone who is sick and has three autistic children,” she said.

“He’s a wreck. He’s like the man in It’s a Wonderful Life…everything is going wrong…he’s like, ‘Please pray for me.'”

“I’m a fighter. I rally the town – we need to help our community,” she added.”

Hearing of his struggles “just broke my heart,” she said.

“I met him once for just a few moments. He just has a really awful, crazy life.

“He has a month and a half to get out after living there for over 9 years hoping to buy.

“He fell behind a couple of months [rent] and they kept charging him $1,100 per month.

“He’s in chronic pain…he’s an old man who does not know what to do at this point,” she explained.

The current target on the fundraising page is $8,000 which is the minimum amount needed for medical bills.

However, Dolan showed The U.S. Sun a screen on his Pathlight app that states that he currently owes over $15,800.

The fundraising page has currently raised $3,000 and Kassel is continuing to rally the community to help.

“We are all trying to do everything we can locally. There’s a whole bunch of people that are rallying around him,” she said.

“He’s just really struggling every which way goes. He will [be] looking at being homeless but we are not going to let that happen.”

Kassel posted an update on the GoFundMe on October 1 after she met with Don properly following their first meeting at the movie theatre.

Don told her about how his children got minimum wage jobs at Mariano’s and Savers in a bid to help bring money in.

However, this meant that they lost their disability payments.

“This family is trying to keep their head above water so badly,” she wrote.

“They get their food from the food pantry and every organization I suggested to go get help from had told Don that their funds are gone.

“[He] is trying to get another job but no one will hire him because he can hardly walk.”

“This situation is very sad and getting more desperate by the day,” she said, adding that even during this troubling time Don is asking for prayers over money.

Kassel explained that community spirit is key at a time like this when the country “is a complete disaster” and people can’t find affordable homes to rent or buy.

“We’re just all trying to make do and to survive right now but at the same time, it’s what the Lord would have us do to help one of our own,” she said.

“We need to help our own. You help each other and the Lord will provide.

“Maybe I’m gonna need help when I’m 75… you’ve just gotta give.”

The U.S. Sun has reached out to Pathlight Property Management for comment.

Dolan received a five days' notice in August and now owes more than double what it originally stated

Dolan received a five days’ notice in August and now owes more than double what it originally statedCredit: Bonnie Kassel
Bonnie Kassel set up a GoFundMe page to help raise money for the Dolan family and is rallying together members of her church to help

Bonnie Kassel set up a GoFundMe page to help raise money for the Dolan family and is rallying together members of her church to helpCredit: Bonnie Kassel
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