Most of us have at one time or another looked for ways to save money. We’ve cut back on dining out and shopping, or have even chosen not to add as much money into our retirement fund. The whole idea of saving money is based on the idea that we will live long enough to use it at a later date. But what if we don’t? No one among us believes that we truly might die tomorrow but the truth is, we could. That’s why it’s important when looking for places to save money that we don’t look to cutting life insurance out of our budgets.
In the article below, author Deborah Hastings, presents readers with the story of how one family tragically lost their father, husband and breadwinner just one year after he cancelled his life insurance policy.
A young Illinois father of four dies on cruise after canceling life insurance
While on a cruise with family members to Mexico, John Perricone, 29, has trouble breathing, then dies onboard ship. The Home Depot manager was sole source of income to family with four young children.
BY DEBORAH HASTINGS / NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 5, 2014, 12:06 PM
JOHN PERRICONE MEMORIAL FUND
An online memorial fund has been established for the family of John Perricone. The young father died suddenly on a cruise last month to Mexico, leaving his family without an income.
No one expects to drop dead on a cruise ship at the age of 29.
John Perricone of Romeoville, Ill., had been struggling to provide for his family, with four children all under the age of 7, when he decided to cancel his life insurance last year to save money.
Now his bereft family is awaiting autopsy results of Perricone’s body after he fell suddenly ill and died on a cruise, a gift to Perricone and his wife, Brittany, from the man’s parents.
NBC CHICAGO
John Perricone’s sister, Katie, is waiting with other bereft family members for autopsy results of the 29-year-old father who seemed to be in good health and had canceled his life insurance policy last year.
Perricone had trouble breathing and had sought treatment from the Carnival Cruise Lines doctor onboard ship, father-in-law Lee Forseth told the Chicago Tribune.
“The next thing you know, he started convulsing real bad and looked at my daughter with the biggest ‘I’m sorry’ eyes, and he went limp,” Forseth said.
Foul play is not expected in the young father’s death.
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Father-in-law Lee Forseth says John Perricone started ‘convulsing real bad’ and then died onboard a cruise ship off the Mexican coast last month.
“The way he treated my daughter, and the way he looked at her, and the way they looked at each other, it was perfect,” he said. “When they got married and my daughter left the house, I didn’t have to worry about it.”
He leaves behind his wife, Brittany, and children Grace, 7, John, 4, Charlie, 2, and Mark, 1.
A web site has been established to provide financial aid to the family.
Perricone also was studying to become an accountant.