Louise's story

My son is an amazing person with such a bright future. He went to a school for gifted children, won many sporting events and has taken on many leadership roles. I am very proud of him, his achievements and willingness to help others.

His father and I divorced when he was one and his father died two years ago from a brain tumour when my son had just turned 18. His father was a different kind of person, probably due to the brain tumour.

When his father died he began gambling. His stepmother managed to have the will changed 6 months prior to his dad's death. He was to inherit $3,500,000 – half of the estate. This money was inherited by his father when his grandfather died.

Though legal assistance my son was able to get $500,000 from the estate. His stepmother refuses to see him, will not let his little sister see him and he can not visit the house which his dad built and where his ashes are. My son is very sad about the loss of his father, sister and exclusion from that side of the family. He has forgiven his stepmother for being greedy, but she doesn't appear to careless.

Now he is gambling all his wages from his job (a reasonable pay with a paid degree included). He has also gambled all his rent from the house he purchased after receiving the money from his dad's estate.

Now I have paid his credit card out, his house repayments (rent is late) and his $12,000 tax bill, house insurance and rates. I am a normal full time working person, married and trying to pay my own house off and bills. We have had to redraw on our home loan just to help my son and go without ourselves. The money put aside for my younger daughter's extracurricular activities has been spent on my son's bills.

Gambling is not just the individual's problem, it is a problem for everyone who loves them and wants to help them. I am currently seeking advice as to how to help my son. It is difficult to know what to do when he lives interstate with his job. To be honest I am feeling rather overwhelmed.