You never know when tragedy is going to strike and you never know who will be around to help you in your time of need. One retired veteran lost everything in a house fire, and he didn’t know how he was going to rebuild his life. But, his community stepped in and restored not just his material security, but his faith in humanity.
The veteran had been a member of his community for years when he hit a hard spot.
After the war and retiring, Paul Roberts, a Marine Veteran, settled in the town of Ship Bottom, New Jersey. He moved there in the 1980s and made himself a beloved and essential part of the community. His neighbors knew him for his daily routine, long walks around town, and riding his bicycle to get just about anywhere.
Many neighbors loved him. One, Richard Obermayer, told ABC 11:
“He’s the whole neighborhood…He’s like the mayor.”
But being loved by the community couldn’t keep tragedy away. Paul was involved in a house fire that destroyed almost everything.
From the way he tells it, he is lucky he got out alive. The 94-year-old was inside his house when it caught on fire, and he thought he was surely going to lose his life. He says:
“I seen smoke coming in the bathroom door…I took one breath and I knew right away I would never take a second breath and live.”
Fortunately, Paul managed to get out okay and did not have significant injuries himself. But, most of his belongings were destroyed and his house that had been built 102 years before was completely gone.
Paul’s neighbors were quick to step in to help where they could.
A community can be great for sharing fond memories and having cookouts with, but a real one will also be willing to pitch in and help you in material ways if they can. When Paul was in a real time of need, his neighbors went above and beyond to ensure that things got better for him.
His neighbor Richard Obermayer donated some of his own clothing so that Paul could have a shirt and pants to change into. And Obermayer’s daughter started a GoFundMe so that more people could step in and help Paul with the cash assistance he will need to rebuild his life.
The care that Paul received from the people in his life didn’t just save him materially, it also restored his faith in humanity.
The last few months have been tough for many people, and in addition to his personal struggles, Paul had been feeling run down by the news of the world. But receiving this level of care and realizing how many kind people there are changed him. On the GoFundMe, a member of the Obermayer family wrote an update about Paul:
“Last night Paul’s daughter Pat showed him the Gofundme Page with the Story my daughter Erin wrote about him. He was very humbled…He is having a hard time comprehending everyones kindness and generosity.. He told me these past few weeks he was starting to feel like giving up. The world was going crazy. Young children being shot every day in Philly and other large cities. A horrible brutal war being carried out on the poor people of Ukraine. It was dragging him down. But the kindness he had been shown has given him new hope in our country and our world.”
The community’s attempts to help Paul have been immensely successful, and it’s a great example of how important community is.
So far, the GoFundMe has raised $178,875, from donations made by neighbors and strangers who heard the story and wanted to act. Other people who know him came up with creative ways to support Paul as well. In addition to gift cards, and clothing donations, business owners in his town stepped up to host events that would directly benefit him, like dinners where the profits went to rebuilding Paul’s life.
The veteran told ABC 11:
“There’s a lot of good people in this world, I found out. I don’t know what I would have done without them.”
Because of so many people’s encouragement and help, Paul is in a far better place than he was when the fire destroyed his house. A house fire is a trauma that can also destroy you financially, but Paul doesn’t have to worry about that now, and he can feel secure knowing that his neighbors are looking out for him.
Check out the video below to learn more about this sweet story!
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