Needy Family

Re “Friends Bring Help to Family in Need,” July 9.

As a friend of the Emery family, I am writing to add several points not mentioned in this article.

Perhaps your reporter was not told that this is a “blended” family with five children from Steven and only two from Jennifer, his current wife. Steven fought for and was awarded custody of his five children some years ago after he had divorced their mother and had been a single parent for six years until he married Jennifer seven years ago. Only one child, Patrick, was born to them as a couple.

This family is truly an example of bad things happening to good people. On behalf of them, I thank you and your readers for their recent--and, hopefully, continuing--kindness.

KATE PORTER, Morongo Valley