Co-signers Suffer too: How many Mr. Reachs are out there?

I wonder how many mothers and fathers, grandmothers and granfathers are facing something similar to this fellow who lost his home after co-signing on loans for his four kids. I'll never forget Rep. Cohen's question wherein he wondered out loud about the actual number of co-signers on private student loans at a hearing over a year ago in D.C. He seemed overwhelmed by the question itself. It was, conveniently, at the end of the hearing (one that came at a very pointless time, and really had no bearing on anything  for student loan debtors. That's to say, nothing was done).

I bet that $850 billion record of federal and private loans is a conservative estimate, if you think about all the Mr. Reachs out there who co-signed on student loans for their kids or grand-kids.