WINK News and RIP Medical Debt forgive $9.8 million in medical debt

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The letter that changed Angela's life. Photo via WINK News.
The letter that changed Angela’s life. Photo via WINK News.

Angela Ryner’s reaction when she realized nearly $10,000 of her medical debt would be wiped clean.

“Wow, wow, and then probably two minutes later,” Angela said, “I was in tears.”

It all started with doctor and hospital visits.

“When I first got here to Florida, I was dealing with a lot of migraines and I also got bit by a brown recluse in my leg and I didn’t have insurance,” Angela said. “Bite got really bad and I had to go into the hospital and get antibiotics and it caused a lot of pain in this leg here.”

Physical pain, but now less financial stress for Angela and her husband, Andy Ryner, after opening this letter.

“Debt has been canceled and abolished by us,” Andy said as he reads the letter, “using a donation from WINK News.”

Ryner was among one in four Floridians drowning in medical bills.

“Just paying the bills, you live paycheck to paycheck,” Andy said.

WINK News partnered with not-for-profit, “RIP Medical Debt,” to buy and forgive $9.8 million in outdated medical debt.

“At first I didn’t believe it,” Andy said.

“No I didn’t either,” Angela said.

“And it says in the know this is not a joke, haha,” Andy said. “Yes, it does, it says that in here that it’s not a joke.”

And with your help and donations, we can forgive bills for more than 1,700 people in our area.

“A burden has been lifted,” Andy said.

“Definitely happier now,” Angela said. “I mean it really, really, touched us, really.”

So much so, she shows her gratitude and shares her relief with others.

“Thank God and feel blessed,” Angela said. “I want to do is pay it forward. That’s my way of saying thank you. It’s not much, but it might help another family.”

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