Anna’s story:

A new chapter of my life started almost 6 years ago when I, my two children, and my husband agreed to move to the United States. I received an intercompany transfer offer and relocated to Austin, Texas.

My whole life, I have studied and worked hard to build my career to take care of myself and my family. Having an international life experience was always my dream. Still, I would never do that without agreeing with my husband and my children. We were all very excited about our new journey in the new country.

After we moved to the United States, things started to change. Facing reality and complexity of relocation opened my eyes in many areas. I could see what an equal and supportive relationship looked like; it was nothing like my relationship with my husband.

Since we moved, I have paid for all the expenses, bills, insurance, etc. My family, including my husband, depended entirely on me and my income. I bought a house by paying a 5% downpayment and took the mortgage for the rest. My husband only paid for his car.

I realized that my now ex-husband was emotionally abusing me. I found out that he cheated on me before and during our marriage and even accused me that it was my fault. He was trying to ruin my self-esteem. Each time I succeeded in my career, my husband became more aggressive. Our relationship was slowly but surely going to an end.

Because he depended entirely on me, I agreed that I would only file for a divorce once he got his work visa. I wanted to make sure that father of both my children would be close to them.

He decided that he needed to move out right away, which happened during the pandemic in June 2020. He verbally agreed that he would sign the post-marriage agreement and not touch the house which belonged to our children and me. In return, I agreed to never ask him for child support.

All the housework, including cutting grass, was always on me. My husband refused to do anything in and/or around the house with an argument that it was my place, not his.

After receiving his work visa, he declined to sign the post-marriage agreement. He started asking 50/50 for the asset (the house).

I filed for divorce in September 2021. Since then, I am still in the divorce process, which emotionally destroys my children and me.

The father is not interested in our children’s lives. He does not support them financially and is not interested in spending time with them.

For the past 9 months, he has spent around 4 hours with his older son (14 y.o.) and is willing to take his younger son ( 9 y.o.) only when the son calls him. When the younger calls him and asks to spend some time with his father, he brings him to his office, where he lets him play video games and feeds him with fast food.

He declined to cover 50/50 for the mediation, so I had to pay it myself. During the 11 hours of mediation, he only stated that he wanted 50/50 of the house, and that’s it.

I cannot afford to pay him out, and I don’t want our children to lose their homes. They are already emotionally impacted, and taking the last security from them, which is their home, school, and friends, would devastate them.

All I ever wanted was a happy home, and I never minded working hard for everything I built here in the United States. I always did it for all of us, but I am starting to be exhausted.

It is unfortunate when I see my husband’s social media posts about the new stylist, he hired to help him update his new wardrobe when he states that he has a minimum income and cannot cover the basic needs of his children.

He has a life insurance license and hides his total income from his kids and me. Like we wouldn’t exist at all.

My family and relatives live in another country, and I have no one else in the United States who could help us. I am asking for your support.

I decided to use One Ray non-profit to help me raise money for the attorney so that I could afford professional help and get a chance to keep our house and the last security we have here for my children and me. One Ray is a licensed 501c3 non-profit organization, and the donations are tax-deductible.

Thank you so much for reading my story and for any help. I genuinely appreciate it, and God bless you all.

Anna Sizova