“My name is Dulfa Carolina Martinez. I am 51 years old and I am from Venezuela. I have two children: one older than 35, whom I raised as a single mother, and then, 18 years later, I had my second child with someone I met in 2005. In 2006, I became pregnant. Although at that time, I was economically stable in Venezuela, when I became pregnant, my partner and I decided to have the baby and raise it together. Even though we didn’t get married at that time, we were together as a couple.
In 2015, things in Venezuela deteriorated politically, and my partner had permanent residency granted by his father, who was an American citizen. I told him there was an opportunity to provide a better education for our child, so we decided to move to the United States. At that time, my younger son was 8 years old. A lawyer advised us to get married so my husband could file a family petition for us and obtain residency for us and citizenship for my son.
We got married on August 1, 2015, in Miami, United States. Although our marriage wasn’t perfect, we had been together for 18 years. I’ve always worked hard since I was young, managing to have my own house and business in Venezuela. Upon arriving in the United States, I didn’t want to be any different, so I applied for asylum for myself and my younger son to avoid being illegal and to be able to work while waiting for my husband’s petition.
My older son decided to come to the United States as well to not be separated from us. However, he is a worldly man, having traveled to many countries since he was 21, working and experiencing different cultures. He’s a surfer, vegan, and has a strong environmental consciousness. He chose to move to Honolulu, Hawaii, where he feels more in tune with his essence. There, he met his current partner, a girl from Nebraska who shares his lifestyle. They’ve created a brand of ecological toothbrushes, AINAlife.com, and are successful in their endeavors.
Meanwhile, I stayed in Miami with my husband and younger son. In October 2020, I discovered my husband with another woman. Despite working and contributing financially, I decided to separate due to lack of happiness and support in the relationship. I started working at a credit repair company and began educating myself in the financial field.
In 2021, my husband didn’t file the family petition despite our discussions about it. I moved to an apartment near my younger son’s new school as his father chose not to file the family petition. Despite success in my job, I neglected my own financial situation due to health issues.
In 2022, I found out I had numerous fibroids requiring a hysterectomy. Also, my husband decided not to continue with the family petition, affecting my legal status in the country. The company I worked for temporarily closed, worsening my financial issues. To pay off debts, I refinanced my car and took additional loans, increasing my debt.
My health problems continued with the need for emergency gallbladder surgery. Despite working hard in different areas like credit repair and product delivery, I faced non-payment from dishonest clients. I worked multiple jobs, including deliveries, to survive, but my debts and insufficient income overwhelmed me.
My younger son now lives with his father, who has a more stable economic situation. I feel alone, especially after the recent loss of my father, who passed away due to cancer he kept secret. He was my emotional and financial support. I’m struggling to move forward, but my debts keep growing, and my income isn’t enough to cover my basic expenses.
My hope in sharing this story is to find financial help to overcome my debts and gain stability. I appreciate any help I can get as my current situation is challenging and overwhelming. Thank you for reading my story and for any support you can provide.”
- Listing ID: 6983
- My City: Miami