Elderly Woman Had Been Living in Her Car in Front of Her House until Neighbor Finds Out

A 71-year-old woman faced tough times after her husband died. She had to live inside her car, and the situation was hopeless. One day a man noticed her, and he did something very few people would do.

Helping the most vulnerable in society is essential, but sadly, older people often struggle when nobody checks up on them. When one young man moved into a new neighborhood in 2017, he saw something shocking.

Justin Hernandez couldn't believe that an older adult found herself in such a dire situation, and no one had stepped up to assist her. The selfless man decided to do something noble, but he had no idea what he was about to uncover.

THE WOMAN LIVED IN HER CAR

Theresa, an older woman from Phoenix, lived a happy life with her husband, and they owned a lovely home for many years. However, Theresa struggled to maintain the house after her spouse passed away.

Over the years, the abode became extremely run down. It was unlivable for the woman and her dogs, but she had nowhere else to go and no one to help her. She eventually decided to live inside her car, which was parked in front of her home.

THE SITUATION WAS HEARTBREAKING

Theresa would possibly have spent the rest of her life without a home, but one man changed her life for the better. Hernandez didn't think it was acceptable for an older woman to stay in a car, struggling in the heat. He stated:

"It broke my heart. A 71-year-old woman sitting out here in 110-degree weather isn’t alright."

The young man approached Theresa, and she explained the situation, allowing him access to her house, which was a "dump." He was shocked by the condition of the abode and knew it would take a massive group effort to fix up the place.

HER HOUSE WAS A DUMP

Hernandez stated that the house looked like something from an episode of "Hoarders"—filled with trash, mold, and dirt. Heartbroken by the situation, the young man asked family, friends, and strangers to help.

He rallied a group of people, and there was an overwhelming response from the public and the local community. Hernandez said:

"I don’t believe we're going to have it done right away, I know it’s going to be a process."

He continued by revealing that refurbishing the woman's home would be a long and time-consuming process. However, he was happy that "everyone [was] trying to help Miss Theresa get back into her home."

THE WOMAN WAS GRATEFUL FOR THE HELP

The older woman was speechless when she saw the immense support from people she didn't know, all helping without expecting anything in return. She sat in her car and experienced hope for the first time. Theresa expressed:

"I don’t know what I would do without people like them. What the world would do without people like them. There are very few."

The woman would never have been able to fix the home up herself, and she was immensely grateful for the group of volunteers that showed her some humanity.

MANY PEOPLE PASS THROUGH THE WORLD WITHOUT HELPING OTHERS

Hernandez's kindness changed Theresa's life—he did what few others would. While many people pass through the world without seeing what surrounds them, the young man was different.

He didn't think about his comfort and put someone else ahead of himself. Hernandez explained his motivation for helping and said:

"I figure if this was my nana 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."

PEOPLE COMMENDED THE KIND MAN

Hernandez received widespread praise for his actions, and many thanked him for going above and beyond. One netizen wrote: "God bless all those who are helping. Hopefully, the city of Phoenix would step up to the plate and take care of a resident."

Someone else added: "You are so kind. It shows how much love and respect you have for the elderly people around you. May God bless you for what you're doing. I wish we had more [people] like you."

Hernandez deserved the compliments, but he didn't step up to help for recognition—he simply wanted to assist someone in need. What do you think about his kindhearted deed?

Click here for another story about a couple that found themselves homeless. The older duo was kicked out of their house, and the person responsible was someone they knew.