Jane Cunningham has been stressed out the past few months because a part of her roof had caved in entirely. That’s until a group of Good Samaritans came together to repair her home – and change her life.
This single mom of three from Sudbury, Massachusetts, has been struggling financially due to their family’s ongoing health issues. So when her roof started leaking, she had no choice but to let it be.
This led to a section of it giving out completely, forcing her to block off part of their home because she didn’t have the money to get it fixed.
Unfortunately, the caved-in roof caused more problems as the rain and weather got into the house. Mold then started to grow, causing more health and safety issues, especially with their allergies.
The damage was so severe that critters began getting into the home and even started building nests inside.
“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.
Jane knew she and three kids weren’t safe in the house, but the money issue left her with no choice but to improvise solutions. She thought she was out of options until a dear friend stepped in to help.
Melissa Johnson, Jane’s friend, wanted to improve the family‘s living condition, so she decided to start a GoFundMe to help the Cunninghams afford a new roof.
The fundraiser began circulating online. Luckily, it came across the social media feed of Dave Fenton, the Chief Operating Officer of Suffolk Construction Boston.
Dave, a Sudbury resident, was moved by Jane’s story, so he immediately made plans to help her in every way he can. He reached out to Jane and called his trade partners and construction contacts to tell them about this family’s situation.
“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.”
Once they heard Jane’s story, the folks were more than happy to get to work and repair her roof. In fact, they did more than that.
With Dave’s help, not only did Jane get a brand new roof, but the volunteers also dealt with the mold and moisture issues in her home!
“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 room that was once infested with molds and squirrels now has a new roof, walls, and insulation. It’s now livable and safe, thanks to the efforts of kindhearted volunteers.
This unexpected event literally changed the Cunninghams’ life. As a single mom, she often struggled to make ends meet, so she’s very grateful to these strangers who stepped up to help her family during this difficult time.
“I’m just blown away by the kindness, and it really just changes our whole outlook on life, and it changes the trajectory of our life as well,” she said.
Dave and the rest of the volunteers are not yet done. They plan to return in the spring to improve the landscaping and do some paintwork.
These Good Samaritans donated all the materials and did this work for free. Indeed, people can accomplish amazing things when they’re focused on a common goal!
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