Living Norfolk veteran denied benefits because VA thought he was dead

I watched this today on the local news, right in my A-O.
NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) — Imagine your paycheck not showing up on pay day. What about your bills, your spending money, your mortgage, your rent? That has happened to Harold Mabry of Norfolk, because the Veterans Administration thinks he is dead.

Mabry served in Vietnam from 1966 to 1971. He has a Bronze Star for service, and at age 67 he’s dead. Or is he? He looked alive and well when we showed up at his house.

“
Are you Harold?” 10 On Your Side’s Andy Fox asked.

“Yes,” he responded.

“Harold, I understand you are dead?”

“That is what the VA says.”

Mabry is very much alive, even though the VA says he’s dead.

“It’s ridiculous. I’m serious man,” Mabry says, laughing at the absurdity of it all.

The VA thinks Mabry is dead because on June 1, the Bank of America wrote the ‘estate of Harold Mabry.’

“We’ve received a request from the federal government to return benefits paid after Harold Mabry’s death on 4-21-2016.”

Then, the Department of the Treasury sent a notice of reclamation, demanding his May benefits check of $3,068 be returned. Why would the Veterans Administration think Mabry was dead on April 21? He got in touch with a benefits counselor.

“He told me someone called in, and said that I was deceased, so I said, ‘Doesn’t someone have to have proof that a veteran is dead?’ And he said, ‘No.'”

Mabry doesn’t believe that.

“I don’t think anyone called in. I think a benefits counselor made a big error.”

10 On Your Side called the Veterans Administration service line, who said the probable cause was likely human error.

“They know who went into my files on that date to see if I was deceased,” Mabry says.

Following 10 On Your Side’s call, the VA understands the need to make this right.

We also went to the Virginia Department of Veterans Services in Norfolk, and they are helping Harold connect the dots.

“I don’t have money to buy food, no money to pay for gas. I need friends to wire me money to pay the car insurance because that lapsed,” Mabry said.

There is good news, though: 10 On Your Side just heard from Harold, who says the VA now realizes he is alive and will direct deposit his June benefits check. He doesn’t know exactly when, but hopefully it will be in his account in the next week.

10 On Your Side spoke with Mabry’s landlord, who understands the situation and is cooperating fully in not demanding Harold’s rent until that check shows up.