That doesn't sound poor to me either. He may not have owned a lot of stuff but that is definitely not poor in my book.
I'm sure the vast majority of 40 year olds could come up with 25k if they tap into their retirement accounts. I know I can, and I'm far from rich. Also a salary of 100k may be a lot in some parts of the US but in other regions it is considered extremely moderate. No lavish lifestyles, that's for sure. I think Milwaukee is somewhat cheaper to live than expensive northern coastal cities but it's also not as affordable as the South. So I guess we all have to keep that in mind...it's all relative.