GREENPORT, NY — The community is coming together to help a former Greenport High School principal and teacher afford to stay in his own home after home care costs escalated.
A GoFundMe, Please Help Herb Egert Stay at Home was founded by his daughter, Chris Egert White.
“My father Herb is in a financial crisis. Although he seemed well prepared for his later life, his home care needs have depleted his long-term health insurance and funds from his reverse mortgage,” White wrote.
Her father’s only option now is Medicaid for home health care, White added. But after deductions from his pension and Social Security, Egert is left “an insufficient amount each month for groceries, utilities and the like. My brothers and I have supported him as best we can, but it’s not enough,” said Weiss.
She added: “I don’t want him to have to go to a nursing home. That would be a death sentence for him. So I’m desperately hoping a GoFundMe account will pull it through. If there is any contribution you can make, we would be very grateful.”
Alumni remembered Egert on his GoFundMe page: “Mr. Egert is the best! He was always good to us kids,” wrote one man. “Very friendly, always respectful to us even if we don’t deserve it. Many remember when he was the director, after the pledge of allegiance, he walked into the public address system and said, ‘I want to see the following people in my office.’ He called my name more than once. He always gave the best guidance he knew. Give this fine man what you can to help him in his time of need. Remember, he was always there for us. Stay strong, Mr. Eger!”
Another added, “I wouldn’t recognize Herb by sight but if he started yelling at me oh yeah,” wrote another man. “Herb was my math teacher in high school. He was committed and determined to get me to learn math. Because of him and teachers like ‘Ma’ Hanff and Mr. Burlingame, I enjoyed a long career as an engineer. Most Boeing planes in the sky have my name (along with thousands of others) on their records somewhere, largely because of this man.”
“He’s a wonderful man,” said Joan Dinizio.
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