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Mark's Story

"I had a difficult childhood. I was born prematurely with a damaged pituitary gland, which affected my mental and physical development. I struggled with motor deficiencies and a speech impediment and was placed in special education classes in school. I later became the first growth hormone therapy patient in New Hampshire as a teenager.

My parents were both drug addicts and I was born addicted to heroin. My father died from an overdose when I was about 4 years old. After my father died, we moved around a lot spending time in New Jersey and New York. Sometimes my mother abandoned me and my siblings at a homeless shelter where I was physically abused. My mother dated several men during the time and some of her boyfriends physically abused me. My mother was HIV+ and died of AIDS when I was 9 years old.

After my mother died, I went to live with my grandparents in Seabrook, NH. I started lashing out as I got older. I received a Children in Need of Services (CHINS) petition in 1991 when I was around 14 years old. The state then sent me to several private juvenile facilities, including the Chase Home, Midway Shelter, the Institute for Family and Life Learning, Wediko and Somersworth Group Home. I received great care at these placements.

At age 15, I entered the youth correctional system within the New Hampshire Youth Development Center (YDC) and the New Hampshire Youth Detention Services (YDSU). This was a very different experience than what I experienced in the group home environments. Here, I experienced solitary confinement for days or weeks at a time without cause and the unnecessary use of force. I was choked to unconsciousness by a staff member, kicked from behind by a counselor causing me to fall and hit my head. I was sexually assaulted. I experienced unnecessary restraints such as straight-jacket for extended periods. Due to these experiences, I am currently involved in a lawsuit with the State of New Hampshire.

I wasn't a criminal. I was a kid who was upset about his parents' deaths. I want kids to know that it's not ok to be abused physically or sexually. I am a survivor. Many people knew this abuse was happening and did nothing.

Because of what I went through, I understand these kids and I care; and I want to give back to the homes that didn't abuse me. I want to give back in the hopes that these kids don't end up suffering like I did." - Mark DiPaolo

Legal-Bay Pre-Settlement Funding Spreads Christmas Cheer with Donation to Chase Home in NH

YDC survivor's holiday wish inspires Legal-Bay to give back—while New Hampshire legislators play Scrooge with YDC Settlement Fund

CONCORD, N.H., Dec. 15, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- In a heartwarming twist worthy of a holiday movie, Legal-Bay—the nation's leading pre-settlement funding company for sex abuse victims—is bringing some Christmas spirit to the children of Chase Home in New Hampshire. The gesture was inspired by an extraordinary request from an incarcerated YDC survivor who wanted nothing more this Christmas than to give back to kids walking the same difficult path he once did.

This year, while many New Hampshire legislators seem to have embraced their inner Scrooge, leaving countless YDC sex-abuse survivors out in the cold with a stalled and underfunded settlement program, one inmate has proven that the true spirit of Christmas can shine even from behind the darkest of circumstances.

Mark D., a YDC survivor currently incarcerated, reached out to Legal-Bay with an unusual and selfless request: "Please fund me so I can donate to these kids for Christmas. I know how much they need it since I went through there. And if you could be so kind, would Legal-Bay consider giving too?"

His heartfelt plea moved the Legal-Bay team, who not only granted his request but decided to match the generosity with a donation of their own to Chase Home, one of the very institutions where many YDC survivors began their journeys.

"Many of these survivors—now inmates—are living with the lifelong consequences of abuse they suffered in state-run juvenile facilities," said Legal-Bay's Head of Sales, Amber Cardillo. "Yet even with so little, they choose to give. That is the definition of Christmas spirit."

If you are a plaintiff or attorney involved in an active lawsuit of any kind and need an immediate cash advance against a pending settlement, please visit Legal-Bay HERE or call 877.571.0405.

Meanwhile, the YDC Settlement Fund, once promised as a path to justice, has slowed to a crawl. With the fund reportedly insolvent for many claimants, survivors who endured some of the worst abuse cases in the nation—including one that resulted in a record-breaking $38 million jury verdict—are being told to wait indefinitely.

State officials are now cautioning the public that paying out settlements could raise taxes, an argument many see as a convenient excuse to avoid responsibility during the holiday season.

"It feels like the legislature is wearing Scrooge's top hat this year," said Chris Janish, CEO of Legal-Bay. "I've been in this industry for 20 years, and the horror of the YDC cases stands apart from anything I've seen. We supported these victims when no one else believed in them, and we support them even more today, when the state seems to have hit the brakes after dangling hope in front of them."

Janish continued, "The spirit of Christmas is about compassion, courage, and giving. These survivors—despite everything—are showing more heart than those in power. We believe they deserve justice, recognition, and their day in court. We're proud to stand with them."

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Thank you to Legal Bay Funding, Amber Cardillo - Paralegal & Head of Sales

Thank you to our lawyers at Nixon Peabody - 900 Elm St, Manchester, NH (603) 628-4000

Thank you to Attorney Rus Rilee & Associates - 264 S River Rd, Bedford, NH (603) 232-8234

Thank you to Unity Recovery Center, Pallvalley, OK

Thank you to Attorney Andrew Newcomb, Nixon Peabody - the best lawyer who always answers my calls!!!

Thank you to Lily Glen, The Chase Home, 698 Middle Rd, Portsmouth, NH (603) 531-3078