With so much crazy in the world right now, it’s always reassuring to know that there are still people out there who would drop everything to help a stranger in need.
John Kinney, an electrician based in Woburn, Massachusetts, is one of these people. When he noticed that an elderly lady needed some work done for her home, he didn’t hesitate to help her – completely free of charge.
72-year-old Gloria Scott had quite a bit of DIY and home maintenance that she knew she needed. But the most pressing issue was a light that wasn’t working. So she called an electrician, and John arrived.
John discovered that Gloria had no lights and no running water, and the weekend after the Friday he’d seen her, he realized he had to help.
Gloria, like many elderly people, didn’t have the funds to pay for anything more than a quick light bulb fix. So John used the power of social media to reach out to local tradesmen in the area.
He posted a picture of the outside of Gloria’s home to Facebook, asking if there was anyone who would be willing to pitch in any of their time and skills to help him restore her home to its beautiful former self.
The Facebook fundraiser was simply titled: “Nice old lady needs help” and was followed by the caption:
“Last week, I met a nice old woman that lives all alone in Woburn. She has no internet or cell phone. When sparks started shooting out of her light fixture, she went to a neighbor, and they gave her my number.”
John went on to write that he’d discovered the electrical situation in Gloria’s house was bad, but that wasn’t all. She also had no stove, and her refrigerator was plugged into an extension cord.
While John was able to fix her hazards there and then, he knew there was much more work that needed to be done, both inside and outside. He continued:
“She has no family, and money is tight. I got some volunteers together and we went in there and did a ton of yard work and cleanup. Everyone did an amazing job, and this nice old woman was very grateful. It’s simply just not enough though.”
John listed the numerous issues with Gloria’s home, and explained that he was looking to raise money for his network of professionals who were willing to donate time to the cause.
He set his fundraiser goal at $78,882 – precisely the amount he’d worked out it’d cost for all the work to Gloria’s house.
It seemed like an unachievable figure at the time… but then the amazing happened. John’s post started to catch the right attention. Before he knew it, his fundraiser had gone viral, and the donations were rolling in.
John was so impressed by the way the community had come together to support Gloria that he had an idea: he’d set up a Facebook group where people all around the country could come together to help other people like Gloria.
So he made the group, naming it “Gloria’s Gladiators”. In the group’s “about” section, he wrote:
“We are a group of professional tradesmen and volunteers that can be called upon to help out any elderly person in need.”
In less than a month, the group already has 6,000 members and counting.
As for Gloria, her home has been completely transformed thanks to the love and support she has received from strangers. Speaking to CBS in the midst of all the action, she exclaimed:
“Look at these people! I mean, I can’t even comprehend the gratitude that I have.”
John’s story is a reminder to us all that showing that bit of extra care can truly make a difference to someone’s life. Scroll down to watch a video with more photos and in interview with John.
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