The Maselli's meth house nightmare

Help the Masellis recover from their meth house nightmare!


The Maselli family is one of those families that everyone can’t help but love! They are some of the most loving and generous people I have ever known. They have taught me what it means to serve and to give back to the community around me, and now they themselves are facing very difficult circumstances. My hope with this go fund me campaign is to help the Maselli family get back on their feet, replace their belongings, fix up their house, and pay for medical bills.

The Maselli family bought their first home in the fall of 2018. They had watched the market in their first-choice neighborhood for months.  The house needed some work—a fresh coat of paint, and some plumbing repairs-- but they were eager to put some elbow grease into their first home.

Alex, a Navy veteran, and his wife Allison worked hard alongside their friends and family to make the house a home.  A few weeks before Christmas, they moved in with their three children 5 years old and younger.  They happily decorated it for the holidays and invited neighbors in, excited to build community there. They were thrilled to finally have their dream come true of having a great home in a safe, family-friendly neighborhood with excellent schools.  

However, the dream started to turn into a nightmare.  Just before Christmas their four-year-old daughter became ill and their baby daughter as well. This would begin several months of serious health problems for the entire family. One child’s problems became particularly severe. After repeated Emergency Room visits, extensive lab work, and a team of five medical specialists working for months to diagnose her strange and frightening symptoms, no solutions had been found. The health concerns of this child along with the less emergent health issues of the other children became the full focus of the family’s time, energy, and financial resources. They prayed for answers and for healing.

The answer to those prayers eventually came in an unexpected discovery. The Masellis hired an industrial hygienists and learned that their entire home was toxic, contaminated with the chemicals from methamphetamines. Every surface tested in the home came back positive for meth. The house was not safe to live in. They also learned that most of their belongings were contaminated and would need to be replaced.

People who live in meth contaminated homes often experience serious respiratory and other chronic health issues, sinus problems, digestive issues, respiratory complications, frequent migraines, severe chest pain and convulsions as well as weakened immune systems and susceptibility to illness. Children are particularly at risk for serious health consequences from living in a meth home. Members of the Maselli family experienced all of these symptoms.

When the Masellis got the results of the testing back they knew they had to move out immediately. They stayed with friends in the area while their kids finished the schoolyear and have since been staying with family out of state as they try to figure out a path forward.

The Masellis hope to find a way to get back on their feet. Their hope for the new year is to replace their contaminated belongings, pay off medical bills, and find the resources to make their home safe to live in. The cost of properly remediating the home is very high. They have explored all of their options. Insurance will not cover the house repairs or replace their belongings. The estimated cost of properly fixing their home and replacing their belongings is $150,000. They greatly appreciate any contribution you can share!!! The money you donate will give them a good start to replacing their belongings, fixing their house, and paying medical bills. 


Thank you so much for your consideration and contribution! 
 

 
 

**If you are planning to buy or rent a home in the future GET THE HOME TESTED FOR METH!!! You can buy your own test kit online (it’s not expensive) and they recommend swabbing the air return of the HVAC to get the most clear yes or no. You can also have a professional (an industrial hygienist) do more thorough testing and send it to a lab, it is more expensive and takes longer but it is more reliable. In AZ homeowners are no longer “required” to remediate homes used as meth labs, even though it is a public health hazard. So buyer, beware!! This family hopes to spread the word and maybe save other families from experiencing this same devastation.**