They say it takes a village to raise a child, but sometimes that same village is a lifesaver for other community members, too. One Phoenix woman has countless strangers to thank for the welcome help in a time of desperate need.
Justin Hernandez, 29, had recently moved into a new neighborhood when he stopped to talk to his neighbor, whose car was mysteriously parked in her front yard. During the course of the conversation, 71-year-old Theresa “Betty Theresa”Hernandez (no relation) told him that she and her husband had lived in the house for 25 years, but he passed away 15 years earlier.
YouCaring
Unable to keep up with the housework and take care of their dogs, the house fell into a horrible state of disrepair, with piles of trash and feces strewn across the floor. With no electricity or running water, the house was rendered uninhabitable, so she moved in her car.
Facebook
Facebook
“A 71-year-old woman sitting out here in 110 degree weather isn’t alright,”he said. “I figure if this was my nona or my mom, I wouldn’t want her to live like this, so I had to do something to help get her back into her home.â€
Facebook
So he launched Facebook and YouCaring pages earlier this month to let others know about her plight. He was hoping to get some extra hands to help out with the clean-up efforts and to raise money to cover the cost of a late mortgage payment.
And it’s working.
Facebook
His fundraising campaigns have so far raised more than $3,000, and volunteers have already put a big dent into what’s expected to be a long clean-up process.
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Watch the video below to hear more about this incredible community effort, which started all because one neighbor took the time to stop and listen. Share to spread smiles!
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