Amanda Keller recently helped to start a GoFundMe for an elderly couple in need who live in Seven Lakes North.
Amanda has been friends with the wife for years and used to give her rides.
“I would take her to yard sales because she doesn’t drive,” Amanda explained.
The couple is originally from Spain but moved to Seven Lakes after living some time in New York. They currently are US citizens living off of a fixed social security income.
Back in the spring of 2020, Amanda gave them a referral to help with their broken heat pump. On Saturday, December 19th, Amanda learned that the heat pump was still broken and that they could not afford to get it fixed.
“I didn’t realize that they couldn’t get it fixed,” she said. “They have electric heaters in every room of the house. They had no A/C in the summer, just a plug-in unit that somebody donated to them.”
The husband is a Spanish veteran who has health concerns regarding his heart, and they are currently paying off about $11,000 in debt from his treatments. In 2021, he is supposed to receive more treatment which will likely add to their debts.
“He has been in the hospital multiple times this year,” Amanda said. “They have a daughter up north, but her husband has cancer.”
Amanda helped to get them a microwave, and they were blessed to get an oven from Lowes at cost so that they could cook. The husband had been wanting to have turkey for dinner, but there was no way for them to prepare it.
They had previously paid someone $400 to repair their broken oven, but unfortunately it only worked for 4 days following the repair.
They also paid $1,000 in 2019 for their water heater to be replaced. However, they are now being told the replacement is too small.
“They’ve just been taken advantage of,” Amanda said. “I made her promise me to not call anybody else unless she calls me first. Their water heater doesn’t even provide enough water to take a hot shower.”
Amanda is currently raising funds to help them cover the cost of health needs and any future expenses they may have.
“No matter how bad you think you have it, somebody always has it worse,” she said. “It’s Christmas. I couldn’t just turn my back. I said a prayer many times and just went for it. The community has always been great to reach out and help.”
For those who would like to assist with donations, please CLICK HERE.
To help volunteer with dinners, repairs, cleaning, or yard work, please call Amanda Keller at (910) 603-0363.
