Dozens of Strangers Work EndlesslyTo Save Desperate Elderly Widow´s Home From Being Condemned

Sep 13, 2018

The fabric that holds your life together is often a lot thinner than you realize. You may have created a daily routine for yourself that doesn’t appear to be breakable without your consent. However, there are many factors of the world that could come in at any moment and change your life completely.

You could lose your job without warning, as a result of company cutbacks. The possibility of unwarranted health difficulties arising can also occur. Neither of these is something that you expect to happen. Therefore, planning for these circumstances are nearly impossible.

When you are not able to hold onto your job, you face the difficulties of managing bills and the ownership of the place you call home. It could all be snatched away in an instant.

In 2015, Kenny Oney almost lost his home and everything he had worked hard for in Chesterfield, Virginia. The Richmond Times-Dispatch reported that Oney became ill in 2012. As a result of his illness, he was unable to work properly or manage the well-being of his home.

A water pipe in his home burst that he could not afford to fix. Following this breakdown within his home, his bills increased drastically. As a result of not being able to pay his bills, his water was turned off for a total of three years.

When you are living in a home that has no water, you can imagine the terrible living conditions produced as a result. There was a complaint made by a neighbor to property maintenance.

Bonnie Johnson came to investigate the home in response to the complaint about the property. What she saw gave her the right to condemn the home.

Instead, she began to reach out to business in the area in hopes that they would extend their services to help Oney. Many of the businesses donated. As a result, Oney was able to move back into his home.

In August, another story surfaced that was very similar to Oney’s experience. Betty Walker lived in Copley Township, Ohio. Her husband was a contractor and had begun a big project to improve their current home. Unfortunately, he was diagnosed with lymphoma and passed away never finishing the improvements on the home.

The home was seen as one that wasn’t worth repairing by the county. The thoughts of condemning the property and even demolishing it were present. However, Jeffrey Newman of the Copley Code Enforcement did something wonderful.

He gathered up people to volunteer to help repair Walker’s home along with some other homes that needed help in the neighborhood. Walker was beyond happy to have the help of so many strangers.

Gina Gibson also lost her husband as Walker did. Her home was falling apart. Its gutters were detaching and her garage was failing. As a result, neighbors were complaining to the city about her home. Gibson couldn’t afford to bring her home back up to code. Instead, they asked for help.

Over 30 volunteers came to her aid from the Claycomo Ford Plant’s UAW motorcycle committee. Once again strangers came to the rescue of someone in serious need of help. These acts of kindness show the world how when in a time of struggle the world can be made a better place by the very individuals living within the community.

Do you have an uplifting story to tell about humanity? We would love to hear.