Ryan O'Donnell Mother Stole Son's Cancer Benefit Money

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- An upstate New York woman has admitted to gambling away thousands of dollars raised to help her son fight cancer.

The newspaper reports that Holcomb confessed to losing $15,000 of her son's benefit money while gambling at casinos in New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Canada.

Prosecutors say the money had been raised for her 21-year-old son, Ryan O'Donnell, who's being treated for leukemia.

She faces up to four years in prison when she's sentenced Nov. 16.

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Comments

[icasaracht1]

04:41 AM on 09/20/2011

From what i can tell, everyone posting comments in here are just middle aged house wives/men (Have to be politically correct or else receive much more hate from you all) and you have nothing better to do with your lives than to post on a current event articles about who knows what. I bet none of you even know who she is or have ever even heard of her until now. I bet you don't know that she actually was caring and would offer to help if need be. I bet you didn't know that she would also take the time to call her one of her sons good friends parents to see how he was doing when she heard that he was sick with a cold. Most will continue to hate and project their I art more holy than thou art spiel in some hopes that they feel better about their lives and can vent any emotions they have built up and shove their moral righteousness onto everyone. But I have to say, find something better to do with your lives rather than feed off other peoples despair, you aren't making the world a better place by spreading your hate, you are actually making it worse.

[raegrant5]

02:20 PM on 09/18/2011

I see there are not many out there who are going too give this woman a break! Although I think what she did is discusting and vile, I can't but help to think maybe in some small way she was trying to help. How many of us have gone to the casino and lost our money? And how many thought, "Just one more dollar and I know I will win!!"? I think you get caught up in the heat of the moment and forget that you have lost all your money. Maybe in her twisted little messed up brain she thought she could use the money to make more money and befor she knew it, it was all gone. Just maybe she was trying to help but in the end spent all the money. I think if people donate to a person in need, it should go into an account that takes more than one person to access. I feel sorry for her son who now has a felon for a mom and still no money to pay the bills.

[kellyslk]

03:38 PM on 09/18/2011

BARF! What a bleeding heart you are huh? She was trying to help? LOL Hey, I've got this HUGE Island for sale! Are you interested?

[raegrant5]

04:01 PM on 09/18/2011

Can you read english? Maybe you should read what I wrote one more time and see that I am not on her side and bleeding heart is NOT me. There are always two sides to every story and sometimes people do stupid things with the best intentions. What she did truely sucks and she needs to answer for it but I can see how she may have started out thinking she could double her money. So the next time you try to sell me an island you should read what I wrote first.

[ChickEpoo]

07:08 PM on 09/18/2011

Excuse me.......may I reference your statement:
"How many of us have gone to the casino and lost our money? ".....

"lost OUR money".......

She didn't lose HER money.....she lost HIS MONEY...... And she
did NOT have his permission to gamble with it evidently......

Referencing your statement:
"I feel sorry for her son who now has a felon for a mom and still no money to pay the bills."

And WHO made her the "felonious Mom".....that STOLE "his" money and now he
has no money to pay for those "treatments"...... Sure as hell WASN'T him......

If she wanted to "double her money".....she could have sold HER COUCH....or HER
CAR....and taken HER cash to gamble with......NOT HIS......

It was NOT HER money to do ANYTHING with....except for pay for his cancer
treatments.....

You're right....she WAS trying to help....help HERSELF have a GOOD TIME.....
a real good $15,000.....worth of a GOOD TIME.....uh.....uh....

[JulezSD]

05:10 AM on 09/18/2011

Sherry R. Holcomb

[radarloveu2]

06:42 PM on 09/17/2011

and another thing they never say's a word about a gambling addiction lol geez some people just fly right to the comment without reading and yap away lol

[Pasquale Severino]

03:36 PM on 09/16/2011

Four Years???? What???? They should put her away for LIFE

[onlyway2goisup]

04:50 PM on 09/16/2011

if he suffers permanent damage or death she may get a heavier charge...for his sake i hope it doesn't happen and he progresses in the care of the right caretaker

[icasaracht1]

05:45 AM on 09/20/2011

....you all do know that he is cancer free right now and has been for several months right? Oh you didn't know that? go figure

[Jennifer Zirn]

03:19 PM on 09/16/2011

People are screaming to put her in jail, then when she is there, those same people will be screaming how much she is costing them in tax money. So even if she does go to jail, you are punishing her and her son.

Just assuming that she is the sole caregiver of her son, since the article didn't state anything about a father. She should be put under house arrest, only be able to take her son to his treatments and shop for food.

She should also be required to get counseling for her addiction.

[onlyway2goisup]

05:02 PM on 09/16/2011

i believe in the inherent good natue of people...i believe they would get upset about unnecessary spending habits...a misappeopiation of funds

[jbjg24m]

02:04 PM on 09/16/2011

not much of a mother

[xkglady]

01:44 PM on 09/16/2011

Donations should go in trust for that person in need, in a reputable agency or hospital that oversees and treats that crisis or event, not to the immediate families to squander on vacations, jewelry, televisions, gambling, drugs, alcohol, or other addictions that fulfill their selfish, greedy, criminal ways! May God Bless her son with good health, happiness,justice, he and his loved ones have a comfort in healing always!

[xkglady]

01:40 PM on 09/16/2011

How awful and greedy is this selfish mother? Wasting hard earned individual tax payer's dollars that should be spend on every moment celebrating each day she has her son, instead she takes it for her own addictions, such a sick, selfish and greedy predator! She's one reason, besides the economy that individual donors are skeptical in giving donations to charitable events or persons in need! Too many corrupt, greedy and empowered criminals in this world, that feel they're entitled to it all, without regard for how hard people work for their money and are willing to give, and for their loved ones suffering, that they would deprive them of the best care, support and nuturing in their time of crisis! Sorry, does she even have remorse, is she even worried she may not be with her son, should he not stay in remission from this disease? She's certainly a disgrace! People like her, need to be put in jail for life! They are the corrupt apples in the bunch that make it bad for others that truly appreciate and care that others are willing to help!

[Louie Rey]

01:28 PM on 09/16/2011

Time for her to pay it back AND lose custody of her child. Let's see how quickly she can it back based on the $0.17 an hour she'd make in jail. Once she's made restitution then it's party time.

[radarloveu2]

06:35 PM on 09/17/2011

HE'S 21! READ THE STORY FIRST ! holy jumpin jeezzi what are you talkin about

[Louie Rey]

10:25 AM on 09/19/2011

Regardless of his age should she be allowed to steal money that was intended for his cancer treatments? Would it be ok if he were 2, 21, 31, 41? Where's the cutoff age?

[undaunted8]

01:12 PM on 09/16/2011

ADDICTIONS!ADDICTIONS!ADDICTIONS!!! I'm sorry but at some point the excuses must be replaced with responsibility!!! People donated money, to help ease the suffering of this woman's son and she STEALS it to hit the casino........ There are people in this world who give even though they may not really be able to afford to, they do it because they realize that some are more unfortunate then they are..............this stuff really pisses me off!!!!

[grundoboy]

12:51 PM on 09/16/2011

let me guess, she'll get off because Gambling is an addiction...while her kid suffers...what a wench..

[donabrdluv]

12:48 PM on 09/16/2011

You call that a Mother?????

[dickn2000b]

01:09 PM on 09/16/2011

No, actually you call that a Mothafu...

[heldt666]

12:46 PM on 09/16/2011

Let her serve her community service time in a children's cancer ward.

[jemteku]

12:42 PM on 09/16/2011

Four years in prison is not enough. Degenerate gambler.