....and my siblings don't know whether to throw a rope, build him a hut, or push him over (kidding about that last part. Sort of).
Could I ask for advice?
Background (and I wish I could be more eloquent but i'm emotionally drained from the last few days):
....2 1/2 years ago, my mom passed away at hospice with the 5 of us in a circle by her bed. 15 minutes after this happened, my brother announced he was an alcoholic and would be going into rehab that night. Everyone was stunned...we're a family that tends towards the non-drama moments of life....and no one had ever even seen him drink more than normal (yes, we were naive back then).
In those 27 months, he's failed out of rehab two more times, lost his job, lost his marriage, lost custody of the kids, and lost his friends (well, more has withdrawn from them), and spent thousands and thousands of dollars (contributed by the 4 of us siblings). We're all perplexed, mad, sad, afraid we're being taken advantage of....all emotions. We've regarded ourselves as exceptionally close...even though we live in a couple of cites, we email/write most days/weeks....and all vacation together every year...we're a tight-knit family. (and this is one of the issues...we were all sympathetic/helping at first but now we're all,"how did this happen?" Same family, same neighborhood, same schools, same life experiences....how did 4 people do fine & 1 not? And why can't that 1 make it with the love/support/money/etc of that family?
He's currently working at a fast food restaurant....in terrible terrible debt...and currently living with my brother...and looking for an apartment. He is 45-years-old.
So my question: I would like to give him money for two months of rent (first/last month) and let him move into a place...then he could exit some of the dark despair and begin seeing his kids. He swears he's not doing any drugs/drink but half of us believe him and half don't. Also half think we should stop enabling...but what does that mean? without this, he will literally live on the street.....
Ideas/life experience....I'm sorry to throw a family bomb into the middle of everything here.
