Kentucky widow fights for VA benefits after husband’s passing

FULTON Ky. (KBSI) – A Kentucky widow is fighting for what she believes is rightfully hers. Denise Rowels says her late husband was a veteran, and here in the aftermath if his death, the Veterans Affairs Department, she says, refuses to pay her benefits, including his pension.

Denise Rowels says it’s hard not to get emotional as she shares her story. She says her late husband, military veteran Gary Rowels, died of a rare form of cancer after a four year battle.

“It affects my mental health, it affects my well-being all the way around for a law that they haven’t even given me a chance to be able to prove to them that I wasn’t trying to fraud the laws.” Said Rowels.

According to Rowels, she and Gary were married since 2016, but together since 2006. However, at that time; Rowels says she was married to another man and couldn’t afford a divorce, causing them to wait to officially tie knot.

Rowels claims, “There’s a law that’s based on the actual length of time that we were married when we could finally afford to. And the reason we were engaged for 4 years and weren’t married before that I because we couldn’t afford to.”

According to court documents, Gary applied for VA benefits just a short time before his passing in January of 2021. Gary did not know he was eligible before then.

According to the state of Kentucky, Gary and Denise weren’t married long enough for her to receive his benefits, among other issues, but Denise believes Gary would want her to have the money, and she says she is struggling.

She says, “I can’t support myself; I have health issues. And I do the best I can to get by and I’m on all the assistance I can get.”

Her attorney, Jared Levinson, says the case is now in front of the court of appeals for veteran’s claims and they are in the final stages of the briefing process.

“It won’t be long before the court will have total authority to do what it needs to do. The briefing process will be over Tuesday the 16th. So it won’t be long before it’s in the hands of the federal court.” Said Levinson.

If the case goes in Ms. Rowels’ favor, Levinson says would be able to care for herself, but it all has taken a toll on her… including the heartbreak of her late husband.

Levinson notes, “She is barely surviving; she has no running vehicle. The only reason she has electricity and running water is because that well she has runs off of electricity.”

Ms. Rowels says she never expected her husband to pass to early or that she would be in this position, and the grief on top of fighting to stay afloat is one she wouldn’t wish on anyone.

“I’d much rather have my husband, he was the love of my life.” Said Rowels.