Unknown Neighbors
Kevin Burns had been living in the neighborhood for a few years. However, he didn’t know his neighbor, who had been living next to him for equally as long. He had never had a conversation with her, yet he knew that she was retired and lived alone.
Unknown Neighbors
An Unusual Living Situation
Although Kevin’s neighbor, Ruth, had a home next to Kevin’s, she didn’t live in it. Rather than sleeping in her house, she chose to sleep in her car. Kevin found this to be very odd as he saw Ruth wasn’t going into her home.
An Unusual Living Situation
What Kevin Would Do
Kevin would regularly check on Ruth to make sure that she was going okay. On one occasion, Kevin was able to have a conversation with his neighbor. He was deeply saddened that the woman was living in her car, and he soon realized why this was her living situation.
What Kevin Would Do
Her Reasoning
Ruth had a reason for her living in her car instead of her house, which was only a few feet away. It was clear that Ruth was embarrassed with her circumstances, as Kevin noticed all the stuff in her car.
Her Reasoning
The House
After looking at Ruth’s house more closely, Kevin noticed that the windows weren’t in the best condition. The blinds were also closed, and the overall appearance of the homemade you believe it to be neglected. Was Ruth in need of a renovation?
The House
Years Had Gone By
There was a broken window at the top of the home, and the entire condition of the house led Kevin to believe that this whole ordeal had been going on for a while. He thought that animals might have taken over the home, but everything soon became very clear.
Years Had Gone By
Hearing Cries
Kevin was passing by Ruth’s car one day when he heard his neighbor crying. He asked her what was wrong but didn’t receive an answer. She was frantically searching for something in her plastic bags as tears were rolling down her face.
Hearing Cries
Her Reason for Crying
Ruth explained that she was looking for something that had great importance to her. This sparked the beginning of a massive challenge that Kevin wasn’t prepared for. Ruth continued searching through her car when she heard Kevin. That’s when everything changed.
Her Reason For Crying
Leaving Her Home
When Ruth left her home, she took only the most meaningful and important objects that she had. She carried these items to her car in a plastic bag, but it seemed as though she had forgotten one important item in her house.
Leaving Her Home
Heartbroken
Ruth was heartbroken, but she had no intention of going back into the house. That’s when Kevin appeared. Ruth explained that she had left one of her most valuable possessions in the neglected home. That’s when Kevin decided to help his distraught neighbor.
Heartbroken
A Massive Challenge Ahead
The young man didn’t expect the challenge he was about to encounter, but was he up for the challenge? It seemed that he was going to do anything to help his emotional neighbor despite the condition of the house. All of his questions were answered when he entered the home, and it was shocking.
A Massive Challenge Ahead
The Important Item
Ruth had been searching for a photograph of her parents. The old lady believed that she had taken it with her when she left her house, but she was mistaken. Kevin thought this was going to be an easy task to locate the picture, but he couldn’t have been more wrong.
The Important Item
The Condition
Ruth’s home that she had living in for decades was filled with piles of garbage and clothes. It was smelly and unbearable, but Kevin had made a promise to help Ruth, and he needed to follow through. However, he quickly started to regret his promise.
The Condition
Needing Some Help
It was becoming a real challenge to try and locate Ruth’s photograph. Before Kevin knew it, the house’s condition was too much to handle, and he needed to run out. He quickly went to his home to get a pair of gloves and a mask to help him in his search.
Needing Some Help
A Hoarding Problem
It was clear that Ruth had a hoarding problem. Everywhere Kevin looked, there were belongings that took up so all of the space. It was going to take him many days to get through all of the items to try and locate the missing photo.
A Hoarding Problem
Finding a Break
Kevin finally found something that could help him: a book. His prayers were answered when he opened the book, as the photo he had been trying to locate fell to the floor. His attention was quickly drawn to an old bookcase to his right.
Finding A Break
The Bookcase
Right behind the old bookcase that held Kevin’s attention was a tiny crack. Kevin quickly began pulling the shelves apart to find a hole in the wall, which led to a hidden room. He decided to take a look, but what he found wasn’t what he expected.
The Bookcase
A Bedroom
After entering the secret room, Kevin quickly noticed that it was previously used as a bedroom. The room smelled incredibly bad, and it was evident that there was something in the room that was causing it to smell so bad. It wasn’t just the collection of dirt and debris.
A Bedroom
A Dangerous Sight
Kevin got out of the hidden bedroom and made his way to the hallway, where he saw something truly shocking. There was a thick layer of mold on the ceiling. This situation just became very dangerous for Kevin’s health, even with his mask.
A Dangerous Sight
A Good Time to Leave
Once Kevin noticed the thick mold growing on the ceiling, Kevin decided that it was time to leave his neighbor’s house. He had gotten what he needed and could go out knowing that he had fulfilled his promise. He told Ruth that she shouldn’t enter the house for anything because of the dangerous mold.
A Good Time To Leave
The Bad News
Ruth called a specialist to resolve the mold problem in her home. This specialist had some bad news to give to Ruth. Not only was her home unlivable, but it was also posing a threat to her neighbors. The entire home needed to be demolished.
The Bad News
Not Traditional
The demolishing process of Ruth’s home wasn’t traditional in the slightest. The crew working on the house had never seen such a dangerous environment. No matter what they did, the mold wasn’t going to be cleaned. That’s when the fire department was called.
Not Traditional
What Needed to be Done
Instead of simply pulling the house apart and demolishing it, they needed to burn the house down, or else the mold would have spread. The fire department was called to control the fire, while Kevin and the cleaning crew removed all objects that could be hazardous in the fire.
What Needed To Be Done
Ruth’s Reaction
Everyone was prepared to start the process of burning the house down. Ruth shocked everyone with how she reacted to the event. As anyone would be, she was shaken but ready to move on. She knew she had to move away from her hoarding habit that has destroyed her life.
Ruth’s Reaction
About the Secret Room
Kevin and Ruth watched as the fire engulfed the entire house. Each of them was thinking of the secret room when Ruth turned to Kevin and disclosed that this was where her husband passed away. She simply didn’t have the heart to return to the room once he died.
About The Secret Room
The Fire
The firefighters remained at the sight of the demolished house to ensure that the fire didn’t reignite and become a risk to Ruth’s neighbors. Now that the house was destroyed, what was Ruth going to do? Surely she couldn’t continue living in her car, but now she was officially homeless…
The Fire
The Reason for Her Hoarding
Ruth was severely depressed and anxious after her husband died. Her fear of separating from her husband turned into her hoarding. However, this chapter was finally closed in her life, and she was ready to start over in a new environment.
The Reason For Her Hoarding
A Helping Hand
Was Ruth going to end up living in her car once again? Kevin certainly didn’t want that to happen. That’s when a plan was put into action with the help of Kevin and Ruth’s friends. She was placed in a senior citizen’s community.
A Helping Hand
A Warm Welcome
Ruth was welcomed into the senior living community with open arms. It was clear that she was still suffering from her husband’s death by she was now in the company of many friendly and understanding people. The social aspect was definitely going to help her with her grief.
A Warm Welcome
Before the Community
Before moving into the senior living community, Ruth had a daily routine when living in her car. She would go to the closest gym to use the bathroom to clean up. She would then go to a fast-food restaurant to get something to eat. Then, she would return back to her car.
Before The Community
A Massive Improvement
It was evident that Ruth was going to live a more fulfilling life in the senior living community, and it was all thanks to Kevin and Ruth’s friends. She was given a place where she could interact with people, sleep in a comfortable bed, and clean herself up from the comfort of her own bathroom.
A Massive Improvement
A Better Life
Ruth’s life was much better since moving out of her car. While in the senior community, she was getting more exercise, eating better, and had made some new friends. However, this wasn’t the end of Kevin’s involvement in Ruth’s life.
A Better Life
From Strangers
Before Ruth’s house was burned down, Ruth and Kevin didn’t have much interaction. However, this entire ordeal allowed the neighbors to get better acquainted. Kevin remained in Ruth’s life and would frequently pay her a visit to the senior community.
From Strangers
A Simple Favor
Nobody would have expected a simple gesture of kindness to result in Ruth’s home being burned down. This was definitely a particular case that doesn’t happen every day, but we’re sure all the neighbors were relieved that the mold didn’t spread.
A Simple Favor
The Reason for Hoarding
Many people suffer from some type of hoarding disorder. These disorders usually come from experiencing a stressful life event that they are having a problem dealing with. In Ruth’s case, the death of her husband triggered this behavior. However, there’s a problem.
The Reason For Her Hoarding
Effects of a Fire
Many people also develop hoarding disorders after losing possessions in a fire. This could be a problem for Ruth, who’s hoarding disorder led to her losing her possessions in a fire. How did she react after the fire burned her house and possessions to the ground?
Effects Of A Fire
A Fresh Start
Ruth still often thinks of the secret room where she last saw her husband. However, the senior living community has done her a lot of good. For many years, she was just passing through life, but now she is enjoying the experiences she is having.
A Fresh Start
No More Hoarding
Since the fire, Ruth hasn’t felt the need to hoard anything. After what happened to her home, she understands that hoarding is only going to cause problems in her life. Ruth doesn’t feel the need to cling to items. However, she understandably won’t part with her precious photographs.
No More Hoarding
Kevin’s Life Now
After his neighbor’s house burned down, he was left with a torched neighboring home that wasn’t very pleasant to look at. However, he only had to deal with this for a few weeks before a cleanup crew was sent out. He is now looking forward to welcoming new neighbors who are building a house on their property.
Kevin’s Life Now
He Changed a Life
Kevin’s curiosity and a small gesture of kindness led to him changing someone’s life without even knowing it. This is definitely a strange story that doesn’t happen very often, but luckily it has brought a very happy ending for all parties involved.
He Changed A Life
