7.08.2011

No, I don’t know him personally

 

I’ve had several emails today asking if I know Mike W. of Marissa’s Bunny personally. 

 

Trevy’s blog was linked on her site.  Although it’s not now. 

 

I’ve posted here and there at his request.  Because…well…we’re a community.  Us IS families.  And Marissa is wicked cute.  Her daddy has a way with words.  Also who wouldn’t want the world to know about an iPad give-away? 

 

But aside from that…I know about as much as you do. 

 

We’ve never met in person. 

 

Our only communication has been cyber. 

 

I’m a ginormous sap and as such would love to believe that all is right.  That the sweet, beautiful families who were promised iPads will be getting them tonight.  Tomorrow at the latest.  That no one has been lied to.  That the personal thank you for your generosity email I sent him on behalf of other IS families I’ve grown to love and was thrilled to learn were promised iPads…wasn’t in vain.  That it’s all a big misunderstanding.  That our children aren’t being exploited yet again.  Because if they are…this is right up there with Questcor as far as I’m concerned.  It would make me sick to think I helped send generous people his way only to learn their generosity has been abused.  I’m removing those posts until the truth is known in full.  I hope to God that we can all have a great big laugh when this is over because 50 families are now the proud new owners of therapeutic iPads.   

 

I’m desperate to believe that. 

 

Just like you are. 

 

 

…danielle

23 comments:

JSmith5780 said...

Right there with you Danielle.

Jacob's Mommy said...

Goose bumps or chills. Not quite sure which?

Shannon said...

I hear ya'. Now I'm worried about all the personal info I shared as part of the "contest."

Andi S said...

I have no idea what's going on, and really, you probably "know" Marissa and her family more than I do, but I am worried about them. I am also shocked and disturbed that anyone would make any threats, especially against someone who has done his best to help this community we all belong to, as well as toward that sweet little Marissa face. I am hoping that everything works out ok and whomever is doing this gets exactly what he deserves.

Beth said...

But he gave away all that other stuff and people got that..I think. I don't know, this is all just weird

Delta88 said...

Did other people get the first set of Ipads? Because I have thought the whole thing, with all the money for the other kid needing surgery (perhaps there is a real kid, but the whole story sounded bogus), and the "Silent Business Partner" and the constant requests for additional money to be VERY suspect.

I really hope everything is on the up and up, but it has always pinged my BS meter. I feel for the people who paid this guy, what is probably a lot of money, if he is now going to disappear. I hope that he is on the up and up and that the first Ipad winners really did get them. Does anyone know for a fact if they did?

Danielle said...

Delta88...that is a really good question.

...danielle

Danielle said...

ps. I'm totally stealing your "pinged my BS meter" for future reference.

...d

Lacey said...

Because people asked, we are winners of the first giveaway, and have yet to see the ipad. No one else that i know won has either. So as much as it pains me, im not getting my hopes up that we are getting an ipad unless i buy it.

Marissa's Dad said...

We fully intend on shipping the rest of the iPads after this all gets straightened out with law enforcement.

We're not going anyplace.

Finding Normal said...

We were also "winners" of the first iPad giveaway. One of 40 families. Everyone I've been in contact with has NOT taken delivery, despite Mike's claim that 15 received their iPads. I would like to speak with any of those 15. Or see a blog update with a picture of a child and their winning iPad. There are just so many questions and no answers right now, which leaves much to doubt.

I guess this just goes to show that when it sounds too good to be true, it likely is.

Delta88 said...

But Marissa's dad is in possession of thousands of dollars...who knows how many thousands, since the "Silent Business Partner" was also kicking money in (haha) to "match" the donations.

I really wonder how much he embezzled from people who really thought he was building a foundation to help people.

I also wonder how many other people, besides me, thought the whole story sounded bogus from the get go. I wonder how many people had hope that this would all be true and innocently sent off money because of false hope and promises.

It's just so wrong, and I really, really hope that all 50 kids promised Ipads will get them. Just doesn't seem a bit likely, sadly.

Stephanie said...

We were also one of the original 40. We have received nothing, and we never will. This isn't the only place he has done this......he has a pattern on ebay, on gaming sites, etc.

As for the "threats to him" the only thing threatening is that the police were going to come knocking on the door, and he wasn't going to be able to avoid the questions by deferring to "his boss" or the "lawyers".

Mike - if you are reading this - you could have avoided this months ago. Put the ipad in a box, go to UPS.com, fillout a tag, print it, and the big brown truck will come & get it. It doesn't take 3 months to do this. I am sure there will be one excuse after another even after the "legal team" releases him to send them out. If we ever receive what we were promised - I will put a full page apology in the newspaper. It's a pretty safe bet that I'll never have to bother.

Meanwhile - Christopher has lost his place in augmentative communication therapy because of this, and placed at the bottom of the 2 year wait list. Maybe the "lawyers" can figure a way around that one?

Steph

The Lundgrens said...

I'm with you, Danielle. A big sap! :)
I think we should be careful with our words and accusations until we know the final outcome.
If Mike is for real, then he ReALLy needs our support right now...so let's give it to him by holding our tongue and saying some prayers and believing this whole thing can get worked out.

Sherry C said...

So sad I blogged about this too.

Anonymous said...

We were on the original winner list too. I don't know why it has taken so long and I really do hope that our daughter will receive her iPad. If it is a scam, Mike, I hope that you will receive what you deserve, which is criminal action. I don't understand how a threatening letter would keep you from mailing out ipads which were promised to us 2 months ago. We are good people, and we bust our asses daily as many parents of special needs kiddos do, to provide our daughter with therapy. The iPad could be a wonderful therapeutic tool for her, and I'm saddened that this possibility could be taken away from her. I truly hope that this is a misunderstanding that can be remedied very quickly.

SN Avenger said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Danielle said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Danielle said...

Mike emailed me privately and asked that I remove the website left by SN Avenger because the information opens his children to public eyes. I am doing so because my heart is desperate to believe this is all a huge mistake. I've already admitted that I'm a sap.

I will however leave SN Avenger's email address in the event that you wish to communicate with him/her directly...

We are collecting and distributing more info on Mike as we find it.

snavenger@gmail.com

...danielle

SN Avenger said...

I respect your choice to remove the link to the website. Please know that in NO WAY would we ever want to compromise the safety of Mike's family. In fact, we are very concerned about Mr. Wuerthele's children. Every single link and piece of information that we have assembled on our site is already available to the public via internet research. Our objective is solely to find the truth and allow the public to view the available information so that they can make their own decisions about whether or not to trust Mike/Biff Lugnut.

Anonymous said...

My apologies, I directly quoted SN Avenger's site and it was probably filtered due to language (not mine, but directly from the bunnybuster site).
Here is the gist of what I said in the longer/unedited post:
SN Avenger, when you said "Please know that in NO WAY would we ever want to compromise the safety of Mike's family." I have a hard time believing that.
If someone created an anonymous site, dedicated to accusing me and/or my family of criminal activities, aggregating "publicly available information all about myself and my family in a centralized, convenient place" ... I would definitely feel threatenend and concerned for my family's safety. Whoever you are, please point interested readers to more information about how you became involved in bunnybusting.

deb said...

Latest mail from Mike to participants:

"There are no longer any iPads. I've never had access to the matching funds I've been promised. Something along the way changed and I'm getting hung out to dry by my bosses.

As to my obliqueness about my bosses and the company I work for, If their identities ever got out, long ago they promised I'd lose my job, my insurance, and take us for everything we have making Marissa's surgery impossible to afford. If I keep my mouth shut and the fact that I got screwed never gets out in any way then I keep my job, and my insurance, and they've promised to pay for Marissa's surgery after we give everything we can.

My reputation is now screwed with the SN community but I have to be able to give Marissa the best chance for as close to normal as possible and will happily work under whatever conditions I need to. I'll dance with the Devil if it gets Marissa what she needs.

We're not going to fundraise any more. There won't be any more giveaways on Marissasbunny for special needs or otherwise. I'm still going to update with Marissa's surgical preps and that kind of thing, but that's all. Marissasbunny is going back to what it was before they got involved, back when many of you started reading. No more promotions, just Marissa and her brother's story.

There are the first words that are my own and not through a corporate lawyer since Thursday.

Regretfully,
-Mike"

Andi S said...

Wow. I want to believe that letter from Mike. And if I believe it, it worries me that it's posted here. I want to know what's going, as do many people, but if it's at the expense of a child's well being and opportunities at medical care, I'm not sure it's worth it.

I did donate a couple of times, though not much money. Right now, I'd say that if that money went toward Marissa's surgical needs, then they need it more than I do.