I often talk about patients, special ones who have touched my life in one way or another. Then there is Jack. Jack is an elderly man in his 80s who would ride down in his scooter to receive an injection from me every week. Every week I could look forward to WWII stories, stories of love/loss, and stories of inspiration. One day Jack came in very sick and I got to meet his daughter, G, who was in a spinal neck brace.
It wasn't until Jack got better that I heard the whole story. He was living in his daughter's drive way in a old 5th wheel because his wife divorced him and he had no where to go. He was ailing and couldn't take care of himself like he should - and although she didn't have room for him, she could and did offer him to live in her driveway.
G has a son, J who has been disabled from birth with muscle-eye-brain disease making him completely reliant on everyone else. He can't move or breathe on his own, so his viablility relies on those who care for him including his parents and older brother. Jack does what he can to help, which wasn't much due to his own problems. G's house was in disrepair and the roof was leaking. This was making it hard for J to breathe because mold was starting to grow in their leaky attic. While trying to fix it, G's husband had a massive heart attack and underwent open heart sugery ... a few months later G had another spinal surgery. J's respirator was having to be run off of an extension cord that ran from the garage and through a crack in the bathroom window.
Where's Extreme Home Makeover when you need them? Well ... they applied for Extreme Home Makeover and was turned down. If anyone was deserving it was them, but I'm sure they get a gazillion applications for this kind of thing every day. (Man, I could never be the one who decides who is more deserving.)
So, the city of Eugene decided to step up. With the graciousness of the city, The HomeBuilder Association of Lane County built this family a brand new 3400 square foot house, complete with a "papa's hut" connected for Jack. I was at the "unveiling" yesterday (complete with limo and Marathon Coach bus) and it was a very emotional thing. To see such a struggling family get some much-needed relief. And to watch Jack look over his daughter and family with such contentment was rewarding. I'm lucky to have people/experiences like this in my life.
Read the whole story here: http://www.registerguard.com/news/2007/03/02/c1.cr.charityhome.0302.p1.php
3 comments:
That's really cool. :) If I were there, I would have been bawling my eyes out in happiness. You know me. :)
Jenn
This is an amazing story. How wonderful it is when the community surrounds a family with open arms. Thank you for sharing this.
That is beautiful. What a wonderful example of human compassion.
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