A Safe Home for Cynthia

I first met Cynthia 7 years ago, walking her three dogs and running her errands in town. I could tell from her Doberman Apollo on one side, her Pitbull Galin on the other, and her little scraggly-haired Terrier Charley bouncing behind, that she had a strong love and understanding for her four-legged friends, which often translates into a love for others.

Cynthia's life has taken her to many places but has kept her in Odessa Missouri for the last fourteen years. I have grown to love Cynthia as a grandmother, with her passion to care for animals, her love of gardening, tinkering with machines, creating carpentry masterpieces out of nothing, giving to all she meets, and most inspiring, loving all she meets unconditionally.

Cynthia's attitude in life may seem full of happiness and bliss, because she hides the mounting health concerns and loneliness so well. Cynthia has been in the depths of pain and suffering as she has survived cancer twice, experienced a heart attack, lived through multiple strokes and bells palsy, suffers from bipolar disorder and crippling anxiety, pushes through three crushed vertebrae in her back along with scoliosis that requires her to wear a cumbersome brace, battles fibromyalgia, high blood pressure, and kidney failure.

With all these physical restrictions, Cynthia still manages to care for her many animals, including the nondomesticated ones around town. She still attempts to mow her lawn and continually discourages me from buying her a better mower or mowing it for her. I am in awe as she selflessly and often through great pain, demands to help my family with our daily chores and activities. She has truly become a member of our family.

Often you will find her smiling face walking her dogs to the local food bank, with Apollo pulling her wagon and steadying her on her journey. Cynthia is on a very fixed income and relies on local and regional assistance programs to feed and house herself and her four-legged family. I am continually humbled as she is the first to offer assistance to others who are often in a much better situation than she. She will give much of her food, clothing, and sustenance to others in need. She seeks out the neighborhood lemonade stands and often pays two or three times the price to the children. She is always guilty of heartfelt birthday and Christmas gifts for my 6 kids, and many others in our community. She often employs others in poor circumstances to do odd jobs for her, knowing that when she pays them, they will be able to meet some of their needs, but she may not have money to take care of herself.

Cynthia has lived by herself in the same home for fourteen years in Odessa. Her home offers her a roof over her head and relief from the elements, but not much else. The home is in severe disrepair, infected with black mold, floors collapsing, and in no way a place for a disabled person to live. She has no money to improve her living situation on her own and with her declining health, her current situation will not be suitable for her to stay. My family and I have been trying to keep up with as many repairs as we can over the years, while we searched for a better home for her. Great news, we finally found one. Our next-door neighbor has moved and agreed to sell us his small home at a reduced price for Cynthia. My family has exhausted all our resources to pay the down payment, closing costs, and monthly mortgage payments. We are in desperate need of kind hearts to prevail and help us gather funds to make the needed repairs for our Cynthia.

The home needs new windows, updated flooring to eliminate fall risks, remodeled kitchen and bath to accommodate one with disabilities and exterior landscaping for level safe walkways. My family is well qualified to perform all the needed modifications, but lack any funds for materials. We kindly ask for donations of any amount to help provide Cynthia with a home she has earned. A home where she can feel safe and not alone as she will be right next door to her adopted family... Us...