Like many of you have already said, the story about the families that are living in the mountains of Kentucky is a very sad story. It is almost hard to believe, but people do live this poor in  the U.S. My heart goes out to every family that was on tonights show. But I have a soft spot for the women that worked so hard to get her G.E.D. I myself have my G.E.D. It was not easy for me, but I never gave up hope that some day I would hold my G.E.D. in my hands.  I did not have to walk to my classes as she did, and I was not addicted to drugs. My point is this: With everything that was working against her, she was able to get her G.E.D. I pray to god that  she will have the power to over come much more. I am sure her children and god loving mother is very proud of her,  Moreover I hope that ABC will do a follow-up story in six months so we can see how these people are doing. Maybe this brave women will find away to attend college.

Well being from Eastern Kentucky, I have absolutly no sympathy for this woman because in all truthfulness she was probably ordered by the court to go and her only other option was to go to G.E.D classes.  Don't feel sorry for the low lives that won't even help themselves.  If I was a betting woman, I would say once she gets everything that the court has told her to do done, she will be right back at it.  Oh, and I say that if she doesn't do this she may lose her foodstamps and welfare check.

I Feel that was one of the most heart Wreaching stories I have ever seen on 20/20 being a outsider who moved to kentucky fro texas and haveing visted mexico which is alos a real poor country but what I seen on there makes mexico look rich beyond thier means I have been In kentucky snice my sophmore year in high school liveing in georgetown never knowing there was such a place like that but I mean watching that really makes you think of how good you have even when you have day's when you fell down on your self you still have no Idea what those people go though day to day to survie and still the postive views I seen from those floks is great that they still find Beauty in the world and the Kid who played football and went to collge even though he didn't have the means to finsh he still had a exprince that not man people for eastren kentucky have  I wish their was something I could do to help him I belive when I when I win my frist rodeo Fainls I will help get him lined up to go back to collge or a trade school were he will have the opptunty that the other kids his age have but sorry this was so romdom but my herat really goes out to each and evry one of those peopel

 

 

Brent W

I'm from Eastern Ky and I have sympathy for her. Yes, it's probably true what you say...that she was ordered to do so. And she was probably walking because she had her license taken away from her by the same court. But we have no idea how or why she got on the path she was on. Yes, there are low lives who will not help themselves....and guess what, they have children who can't help the way they are forced to live. And they are going without, they are being tossed about and they are ignored by the rest of the country. That is one of the many reasons why I am glad Diane Sawyer did this.

The sad thing about this woman who got her GED...you are right, she probably will go back to drugs because there's not much you can do with a GED in that area. The economy is crap there. There's not much hope at all for someone like her. Even if she got a Pell Grant and went to a Community College...then what? What's she gonna do? There are no jobs available for her there. Unless she gets lucky some way and comes into enough money for a vehicle decent enough to get her from A to B, money to insure it, finds the guts to move away from the only place she's ever known as home, has enough money for a $500-$1000 deposit plus that month's rent, not to mention the hook up costs for electricity/water etc....she's screwed.

It's so much easier said than done.

Well being from Eastern Kentucky, I have absolutly no sympathy for this woman because in all truthfulness she was probably ordered by the court to go and her only other option was to go to G.E.D classes. Don't feel sorry for the low lives that won't even help themselves. If I was a betting woman, I would say once she gets everything that the court has told her to do done, she will be right back at it. Oh, and I say that if she doesn't do this she may lose her foodstamps and welfare check.

Are you really from Eastern KY?  I mean really.  Don't think there is much to worry about her doing this but she could go to any hospital in Eastern KY with a GED and work in house keeping or food service making 9/10 dollars an hour.  There is Wal-Mart, McDonald's and people support their families everyday this way.  If she wanted to go to college the government would completely pay for it because she is on welfare and then if she wanted it they would even pay to buy her a car or provide her with transportation.

It is impossible for me to say whether I have sympathy for this lady or not since all I know of her situation is this highly sensationalized 20/20 report.  Just becuase Diane Sawyer says it doesnt make it true.

The lady may be a victim of circumstances, or she may be a loser.  Maybe both.  Who knows.

Do you think the same sad story doesnt play out in the inner city every day though?  This country is full of people with major problems just as bad, if not worse than what exists in Kentucky.

After watching the 20/20 episode I cannot believe that some adults would be as ignorant as to say some of things that have been said in these forums. One leson most of you all seem to have not been taught by your family, parents, gaurdias, whom ever, is COMPASSION for other human beings. There are a lot of poor families in Ameria and for people to start pointing out  poverty in major cities which believe it or not most people know that already exists, is so far besides the point of why this show was even conducted. I'm from Houston, Texas and sure there is poverty poverty is just like any other negativly viewed issue, it is anywhere and everywhere an individual wants it to be. Diane Sawyer, in my opinion, did a wonderful job with this documentary, how many times have you seen this particular story ,which is unique to itself in many ways when thought about in depth, on other tv channels, special reports, etc ? Not often, you can turn on every news channel, tv show, media outlet , and hear  about inner city problems. The human beings depicted in this story are no differnt of you and I and arte victims of unfortunate circumstances, not to say that they cannot better their lives, etc this is America , a country of endless opportunities, however instead of finding fault with the show why cant people recognize it for what it is. Any one of those children could have been you brought into that lifestyle, not knowing any other way but hard work and labor beer drinking and dope use. Everyone writing on this message board is blessed, we can read, write, have some sort of decent educational level, access to a computer, electricity. instead of knocking somebody for getting a GED at least its a step in the write direction regardless why she is REALLY doing it, the fact is that she did it. And really if you think about it if she is all of the horrible things you people would love her to be, and if she does have alternative motives, why not go to jail? At least there she can be a true "low life", hell no work, free meals, medical care if needed, a clean place to sleep??? Learn Compassion.........................................