Three years ago the first of a trio of Tayside brothers with the same rare form of muscular dystrophy lost his battle for survival.
The tragic death of Arbroath teenager James Mathieson, 17, was followed by that of siblings John, 21, and Daniel, 23, over a three-year period that stretched the family to breaking point and led to father Norman, 52, having a stroke.
Now, in a final twist of the knife, Norman, his wife Yvonne, 44, and daughter Claire, 21, are facing eviction from the specially-adapted home their wheelchair-bound boys grew up in.
With debts of more than £140,000, and no way to pay them, the family are resigned to losing the house when notice is officially served on September 10.
Norman, who is unemployed, said a steady drop in income received through Disability Living Allowance following each death has left him unable to afford the four-bedroom property that has been home for more than 12 years.
“This was our sons’ home; it was our special home that was built for them and our future now it’s gone,” he said.
Norman suffered a mini-stroke following Daniel’s death in May and the added burden of financial stress is continuing to take its toll.
“My solicitor says that even if I went to work I wouldn’t be able to keep up with repayments. They would be around £1,100 and there’s just no way I could afford it.”
Norman claims he owes almost £10,000 on a loan to Blemain Finance and has a mortgage of £130,000 with Nationwide neither of which he can afford to pay.
The family have a crisis meeting with Angus Council on Wednesday to discuss the possibility of getting a council house.
“We are in the process of getting an emergency assessment,” Norman said.
“The money coming into the house just got less and less and we don’t have any other form of income to pay our debts.”
A Nationwide Building Society spokesperson said: “In difficult circumstances such as these, we always work with customers to try and find a mutually acceptable way forward.
“Seeking possession is only ever considered as a last resort.”
Blemain Finance declined to comment.