In 2004, the Boston Red Sox won the American League wild card race and found their way into the MLB playoffs despite falling short in the American League East pennant race to the New York Yankees. They faced off against the Anaheim Angels in the Division Series, making quick work of their opponent with a three-game sweep. Meanwhile, the Yankees faced the Minnesota Twins in their Division Series matchup, winning the five-game series in four.
Their respective performances in the Division Series led to a much-anticipated Champion Series matchup between the Red Sox and their most hated rival. The Red Sox and Yankees had met 45 times in the previous two years, and Boston held a razor thin advantage in those matchups, 23 to 22. But in the four prior instances where these teams met in the American League Championship Series with a trip to the World Series on the line (1949, 1978, 1999, and 2003), the Yankees won every time.
Early on, it looked like history was going to repeat itself. The Yankees took Game 1, despite a late inning comeback that saw the Red Sox put up seven runs in the 7th and 8th innings combined. The Red Sox dropped Game 2 as well, mustering only one run the entire game. The Red Sox got blown out of Game 3, losing 19 to 8 on their home field at Fenway Park. No team in Major League history had ever come back in a seven-game series after losing its first three games.
When the Red Sox went down by two runs early in Game 4, with legendary closer Mariano Rivera looming in the Yankee bullpen, it looked like things were over for Boston. The Red Sox showed some life and put up three runs in the 5th inning to briefly take the lead, but New York answered immediately to regain the lead in the top of the 6th. That lead held until the bottom of the 9th, when the Red Sox somehow scored a run on the usually unbeatable Rivera, taking the game into extra innings, where Boston finally pulled out its first win of the series in the 12th inning.
Game 5 was even more nerve-wracking for Red Sox fans, lasting a postseason record 5 hours and 49 minutes, but Boston pulled out another miracle, winning in the bottom of the 14th inning. Despite heading back to New York for the remainder of the series, Red Sox fans were able to breath (a little) in Game 6, as Boston took a 4-run lead in the 4th inning and held that lead throughout the game to tie the series, this time without the need for extra innings.
Game 7 turned into a 10 to 3 route, with Boston taking the series with a convincing final game that was never close after the 2nd inning. It was the greatest comeback in MLB playoff history and arguably the greatest comeback in all of professional sports.
When I meet with clients in need of long-term care for aging family members, they often seem to feel like I imagine many Red Sox fans felt after Game 3 of the 2004 Championship Series. They’re barely holding onto any hope, assuming they waited too late to do anything to protect the home, shelter financial assets, or save any income.
It is true that long-term care—whether we’re talking about nursing homes, assisted living facilities, or home caregivers—is very expensive for those who cannot qualify for financial help. And it is true that qualifying for financial assistance can be extremely complicated. But for many families, even some who waited until the very last minute to plan for long-term care, there is hope.
Medicaid is one of the few benefits available to help offset the costs of long-term care, and many people mentally “disqualify” themselves for the benefit based on things they’ve read on the internet, information they’ve received from well-meaning people in the healthcare industry, or rumors they’ve heard from friends and family. But before you give up, you owe it to yourself and your family members in need of care to speak with an expert in the field, an elder law attorney like me who really knows what it takes to qualify for financial assistance while protecting the things our clients have worked for all their lives.
There is hope for a “comeback” even for those who fear they’ve waited too late to plan. The Elrod Firm offers an initial strategy session at no cost, so there’s nothing to lose. Check out our website, ElrodFirm.com, to learn more, then give us a call to schedule a meeting.