Thomas
Thomas and Jerol are in their 70s. Jerol is wheelchair-bound, and the condition of their rental home has forced her into a nursing home, separating the couple for the past year.
“The home they’re renting they’ve been in for about 15 years,” said daughter Michelle. “It started out pretty good, but things started to happen.”
The roof started to leak, there were holes in the floor that were getting dangerous and the doors in the house are very narrow, so Jerol couldn’t get around.
“I really just became afraid,” Michelle said.
She wanted to do all she could to help her mom and stepdad find a better living situation, one where they could be together. It was a struggle. Thomas and Jerol’s income was just over the limit for low-income senior citizen apartments, and everything else Michelle found that would be safe and accessible was too expensive at more than twice their current rent payment.
Then someone encouraged Michelle to help the couple apply for a Habitat home. It turned out Habitat was the perfect fit. Through Habitat’s affordable homeownership program, Thomas and Jerol will have an affordable, interest-free mortgage on a safe, accessible home where they can age in place together.
Thomas has embraced the sweat-equity requirements, helping to build his own home and the homes of other future Habitat homeowners. He has been a hard worker his whole life, and he loves helping out.
Thomas retired from Anderson School District 5 in the 1990s, but, Michelle said, you’d never know it because he has continued to work helping family and friends. At 73, when he’s not working on his sweat-equity hours with Habitat, he is doing odd jobs for others around his neighborhood. Habitat volunteers have loved meeting Thomas, who always greets them with a smile that lights up his face.
“I thank you,” Thomas tells everyone. “I appreciate y’all’s time putting in with me,” Thomas tells everyone.
At first, Jerol didn’t believe getting approved for Habitat’s program was real, Michelle said. But as Thomas and Michelle visited her with pictures of progress on the site, the reality set in. Jerol had been having trouble finding motivation, but knowing she soon will have a new home to go to – one where she can be reunited with Thomas and everything will be accessible for her with open spaces, wide doorways and a roll-in shower – has given her new energy.
“Thomas always talks about ‘I just want her to be happy and like the house,’ ” Michelle said. “She would be happy just as long as they’re together. It’s going to be great for them to be in a brand new home with the doors and everything accessible for her.”
Michelle also shared what this home means to her.
“It’s really been a blessing,” she said. “I feel like God is using me not just to help my mom and stepdad but to show other people who might be in the same situation that there are options for them to have a better quality of life. It’s very important to me for them to have a nice quality of life together in their senior years.”
That togetherness means a lot to Thomas, too.
“I miss her being there at home,” he said of Jerol. “I miss aggravating her.”
Although Thomas jokes about aggravating his wife, it’s clear he loves taking care of her as he tells about how he cooks her dinner and brings her a plate. Jerol often teases him about why he’s cooking so much food, but, Thomas said, “when she really likes it, she asks me to bring her some more. I love her very much.”
To hear Thomas tell his story, you can watch his video interview here.. If learning about Thomas has inspired you to donate, you can do so through our give page. Thomas’ build is our 2023 Executive Build, sponsored by nearly 20 area companies. Learn more and see our sponsors at www.habitatanderson.org/executivebuild.