Midwest City Man Angry Over Money Owed

A Midwest City man says his job may be costing him thousands of dollars that's needed for his disabled daughter.

Friday, May 15th 2009, 11:34 pm

By: News 9


By Rusty Surette, NEWS 9

MIDWEST CITY, Oklahoma -- A Midwest City man says his job may be costing him thousands of dollars that's needed for his disabled daughter. He's sharing his story because he doesn't want another family to have to go through the same thing.

Zayla Meranto is far from shy. She's bubbly, energetic and one of only 39 in the entire world with a rare genetic disorder.

"We've almost lost her more times than I'd rather count," Zayla's father Glyn Meranto said.

Zayla's parents, Glyn and Nita, have spent thousands of dollars on equipment, toys and therapy for their 3-year-old. At the time, they could afford it, thanks to Social Security disability payments, but that came to stop on March 31. That's when the family got a letter.

"Well, my heart just dropped immediately," Glyn Meranto said.

It was a notice from the Social Security office. It said for two years the agency had mistakenly paid the family too much money based on Glyn's income and wanted $15,000 back. To add insult to injury their monthly disability payments would drop from $500 to only $100 a month.

"When you talk about losing a quarter of your income to anyone, it's going to hurt, especially when it's based on my child, her disability, that's what this money was going towards," Glyn said.

Glyn, who serves active duty military, says money he receives for hazard pay, or allowances for equipment and uniforms, is calculated into his base salary. But the more he gets the less his daughter receives.

"It hurts me and it hurts my family and it's hurting a lot of other families that we found out after it happened to us after talking to other people," Glyn said.

Glyn says his situation is exactly why any family that depends on disability should review all paperwork; know the law, and double check to make sure you're getting the right amount of money you're entitled to each month.

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