“We Weren’t Safe In That House”
After noticing a roof leak in her Sudbury, Massachusetts home, Jane Cunningham knew she couldn’t afford to fix it. Her family’s health conditions made it impossible to cover the cost of a new roof.
The only option she had was to wait.
What the single mom of three didn’t realize was that a small leak would turn into a much bigger safety issue for her family. The exposed roof was now vulnerable to rain and weather and eventually caved in.
Cunningham was now dealing with water damage, mold, and critter nests taking over her home. She knew this was now a serious health and safety issue.
“We basically had to board that off and couldn’t use it because a piece of the ceiling had fallen down, and in with that came a giant squirrel’s nest, nuts and all,” Jane told WBZ-TV.
Things were getting worse, not better and she was desperate for a solution.
That’s when a close friend came to the rescue. Melissa Johnson knew her friend needed support and wanted to help turn the situation around for Jane and her kids.
She decided to start a GoFundMe to help the Cunninghams afford a new roof.
That’s when the magic happened.
Fellow Sudbury resident, Dave Fenton, saw the fundraiser on social media and was moved by the Cunningham’s story.
Fenton wasn’t just a caring neighbor, he also happened to be the Chief Operating Officer of Suffolk Construction Boston.
He knew that he had to help in any way possible. Dave started calling contacts and business associates to get the ball rolling.
“It kind of just moved me. So I dug into it a little more and figured out that we should be helping,” he said. “I knew we had to jump in and help right away.”
His contacts didn’t disappoint. As soon as they heard what was happening at Jane’s house they were ready to get started.
The Cunninghams were soon presented with a brand new roof and Dave was not even close to walking away.
“I knew there was more to do, so I reached out to some other folks and some interior people, some demolition folks that we work with, so we got inside and took care of the mold issue, took care of the drywall, a little bit of the electrical work, and kind of got the place secured up for the wintertime,” Dave said.
The new roof, walls, and insulation were provided at no cost to the family by Fenten and his caring volunteers.
“Everything they did was life-changing, I am blown away by the kindness,” Jane told WBZ-TV.
The room that was once boarded up because of rot and infestation is now safe and ready for the family to appreciate.
“It really just changes our whole outlook on life, and it changes the trajectory of our life as well,” Jane said.
Dave and the rest of the team that made this random act of kindness possible aren’t done yet. They are marking their calendars to return in the spring to do some paintwork and improve the landscaping.
Of course, absolutely free of charge.
Watch the heartwarming news story in the video below.
Please SHARE this with your friends and family.
Source: GoFundMe, WBZ-TV, mypositiveoutlooks
