SPOKANE, Wash. — After weeks of stress and heartbreak, a wrong has been made right for a local veteran.
Earlier this week, we brought you a ‘Help Me Hayley’ story of a mix-up with serious consequences for Benny Robinson. In October, Benny’s wife of 57 years, Billie Frances, passed away. When he alerted the military to her death, so his military checks could be adjusted, Benny says he was the one mistakenly marked as deceased.
Benny told Nonstop Local KHQ the error not only stopped his benefits from coming in, but also lead to the Department of Treasury reclaiming payments that were made to him after his supposed death.
The days Benny should have been spending grieving the loss of his beloved Billie Frances, he was instead trying to pull himself out of financial ruin.
After weeks of fighting this and making repeated calls to the VA, Benny received word from Senator Patty Murray’s Office that the matter had been corrected.
"She was really instrumental," Benny said of the woman who worked with him from Murray’s office. "She worked on it every day."
On Friday morning, Benny checked his bank account and was able to feel relief seeing payments once again, come in. He was notified he is officially back in pay status and will also be receiving months of back pay.
"I just said, ‘thank you Lord,’" he said. "I tried to keep from getting angry. I didn't want to get angry."
All he wanted was what is rightfully his. What he earned from spending his career serving our country.
"When (Hayley) got involved, things started getting better," Benny said. "I was on the phone an hour and a half with (different) people and (they) would just say, ‘I don't know.’ Then (Hayley) got involved, and they started answering questions. She made all the difference in the world."
Benny said Monday’s story on Nonstop Local reached so many. Since it aired, Benny said around 50 people have connected with him, both locally and across the country wanting to help in some way. That included Rep. Cathy McMorris Roger's office. He said he appreciates the dedication from Patty Murray's camp too. It was them who gave Benny the news he had been waiting for. That at last, he the mistake was fixed.
As for Benny's late bride, his dear Billie Frances, he believes she did her part to help too.
"I'm sure she's smiling," he said.
On Monday, the VA released the following statement when asked about Benny’s situation:
"While we don’t provide information on specific cases without express written permission of our Veterans, we can assure you that VA is committed to serving Veterans as well as they have served us by delivering timely access to world-class health care and earned benefits. Veterans are the ultimate judge of our success at VA, and when we learn of an error, we strive to correct the matter as soon as possible. Veterans have earned and deserve our very best, and we will never settle for anything less."
