Bring Roy Home

Dear Mr. President:This is the story of Roy Sunderland.  He is an American citizen in England, who has be left by the United States embassy to freeze and starve in the streets of London.    Roy’s companion in the United Kingdom died suddenly over a month ago…his family swooped in, took all his possessions and kicked Roy out with the meager money he had.  (The will won’t be read for several months)    Roy,  using the last of his money for food and lodgings, appealed to the U.S. embassy for help getting home.  The embassy was happy to offer him a discount ticket for $545 (about half the price of a normal ticket) .  Roy pointed out that whether the ticket was $545 dollars or $45, it might as well be a million dollars, because when you have no money, a discount doesn’t help.  Roy, with deceased parents and no papers allowing him to work in the U.K. has no way to get money.    And eventually, a reluctant landlord had to kick the penniless Roy into the street.  When he appealed to the embassy again, they said “Good luck….maybe you can get food and a place to sleep from the Salvation Army.” (They could provide neither)    As winter weather in London gets colder, Roy, hungry and cold, is forced to live on the streets of London by an embassy there to “protect its citizens”.    The ironic part is, if Roy survives the next two winter months, the embassy will be forced to give him a  plane ticket anyway, as his visa expires.  One would think they could do it now…or even make a loan that Roy could repay once he returns to the U.S. where he can legally work for the money.    Last time I talked to Roy, he hadn’t eaten all day and seemed a little disoriented.    I know you’re a busy man, Afghanistan, the economy, health care…but I also know you’re a compassionate man and would go out of your way to help a single U.S. citizen.  Please bring Roy home.                            Mark Somers                            Santa Rosa, CA.                            (707) 568-7317