Woman Donates Home to Paralyzed Foreclosed Man living in a storage shed

[Ichingcarpenter]

In southern Texas, Estela Garza is donating her home to a paralyzed man who has been living in a storage shed, reports Jordan Williams of KRGV. She considered sell the house, she explained, which was her father's, but said she had the realization that "maybe God doesn't want me to sell it; maybe he wants us to give it to somebody that is in need."

The recipient, Woodrow Reed, lost his mobile home due to foreclosure, and last month the only money he had -- donations intended to help him get a new place to live -- were stolen out of the back of his caretaker's car. He is still recovering from a broken leg at a nearby hospital, but Garza is planning to have the house ready for him when he gets out.


http://www.krgv.com/news/local/story/Woman-Donates-Home-to-Paralyzed-Man/qzeIgT3S4kSPNwY2vrOD4g.cspx

[Hannah Bell]

1. nice.

[JNelson6563]

2. Very nice.

What makes me sad tho' is that the giver needed to believe it was what bible-god wanted (and i8f you don't do what bible-god wants hellfire awaits!). I hope one day society is more comfortable doing right simply cause it's right.

Julie

[KittyWampus]

4. How is giving a house to someone in need "right"? BTW, I chose my words carefully.

I"m just curious how you define "right" and how many people would use that word in the context of giving a house to someone who may be in need but probably can't pay for its upkeep or taxes.

Again, I'm not attacking you or the woman or the community (others in the community have helped this man before).

Just asking.

[demwing]

32. What an ODD question Is it somehow "wrong" to give in charity?

If you're just asking, please explain WHY you're asking. Your question just doesn't make any sense.

[Berry Cool]

5. Can I ask you something?? What the hell do you CARE what she believes,

as long as she does something to help someone else?

Maybe she's not afraid of hellfire. Maybe she believes in a God that's good and who wants her to do good things to reflect his goodness, and not just to avoid the fires of hell. How about that??

Either way, a homeless man has a place to live.

I guess you just have to live with your sadness about it.

[JNelson6563]

15. Frankly I don't care if she believe unicorns wanted it

I guess it's just sad that she did it cause another entity wanted her to.

Great news for homeless guy though! A win/win! A home for one who needs it and, perhaps, a ticket to heaven for the giver!

[roguevalley]

17. your parents teach you to be good and do right and if you call

them out as your source of inspiration, is that 'another entity' telling her what to do? Jeez. This is so sad.

[Chemisse]

29. Some people need to frame things in a religious way

But I am sure they mean the same thing as atheists do, when they do something to help someone else.

She is probably very happy with her entity, so we should just tolerate it. Live and let live.

[proteus_lives]

38. You must love making an ass out of yourself.

:eyes:

[TCJ70]

12. What difference does it make?

All I hear about religion is about from the non-religious here is how it's a terrible stain on society...then this woman decides to do a good deed and mention god and it's still a bad thing? I guess religion can't win here...

[JNelson6563]

14. Oh go drag your cross somewhere else.

Unless of course biblegod told you to do it here. Don't want to risk a judgement of hellfire from the all loving source of enlightment, now do we?

Oy.

[roguevalley]

19. sad, sad, sad. talking about judgment ...

[whathehell]

21. Go Jerk your Knee somewhere else...

The poster is right.....Your concept of "God" and "religion" in this case is warped -- The woman mentions something about what God might "have wanted" and you infer, absurdly enough, that she NEEDED that to make her do something nice.

[whathehell]

23. You can't argue with a "fundamentalist" atheist here, TCJ70.

First Commandment: All References to God WILL be followed by a Negative!

[mike_c]

27. there aren't many folks more critical of religion here than I am...

...but frankly, I don't care what this woman's motives were. She's doing a marvelous, selfless thing to help someone in her community. That doesn't need explanation, IMO. :patriot:

[roguevalley]

16. you know, this really pisses me off. she did what God encouraged

her to do. If you want to inject fundie bullshit into this sweet decent action then you miss the entire point.

[Recursion]

25. Thank you, Euthryphro

:eyes:

[demigoddess]

33. I agree, I do things just because I want to. And the feeling is so much better

than if 'god' told me to.

[snagglepuss]

3. Kudos to Estela. A profound act of kindness. Thanks for posting. nt

[wicket]

6. Bless her, and thanks for posting this

Always nice to hear some good news!

[malaise]

7. Estela is definitely not a

Rethug. What a generous act.

[whathehell]

22. Well, we don't know...

I mean she mentioned the word "God" you know...:sarcasm:

[Robb]

8. Erm.

It's a nice thought. But.

The house needs some work, including some new fixtures and some fresh paint.
...
“Financially we can't move it for him. But if anyone is willing to help us as far as the moving part, that would be appreciated,” she says.

The cynic in me says "I've got a broken-down mobile home with non-working appliances in it on my property I can't seem to sell. Perhaps if I give it to someone who's been in the news lately I can get the community to haul it off for me."

But, on the plus side, Reed could get a place to live out of it. :shrug:

[SoCalDem]

10. and get a donation write-off..

and how will this man afford the "space-rent" or the cost of a hunk of dirt to put it on?

and will the tax-man consider it as "income", and make him pay taxes?

sometimes the "quiet" generosity..like GIVING them a room with you, and feeding them meals at no cost might be a more "generous" thing to do..especially for someone who has never been able to make it on their own..

[Robb]

11. Indeed.

Hopefully the mobile won't become a millstone for the guy. But we can all hope for a happy ending.

[roguevalley]

20. sometimes a good thing starts small. jeez. he has a home. I

wonder how many of us have the homeless living with us.

[whathehell]

26. Maybe ...Just Maybe...The giver wasn't thinking of it that way

...Maybe she honestly wanted to do something nice, but didn't happen to have her DU Checklist with her..Maybe she didn't expect to have her Gift Horse looked in the mouth by people like you.

[Art_from_Ark]

36. The man had been living in a mobile home

but the article refers to the woman's home as a "house", so it would appear to be a more fixed-in-place type of abode.

[Egnever]

37. it also says she isnt able to move it for him

Suggesting it isnt a fixed in place type of house.

[EndersDame]

40. Probably a Manufactured Home

I have lived in one as a kid they are pretty nice and better than Mobile homes ( I have lived in everything from a swanky two story to a shitty cramped motel room with my family when I was a kid)

[Art_from_Ark]

41. I've seen small houses lifted from their foundations

and transported elsewhere due to land condemnation or other reason. And the donor is not financially able to "move the house", but it seems like it wouldn't cost so much to move a mobile home.

At any rate, I find it odd that the article would have noted that the man had lived in a mobile home, but referred to the woman's home as a "house", if the woman was actually donating a mobile home.

[JNelson6563]

42. Maybe God is her financial advisor?

You know, a dual role position. The sort of God that can guide you to heaven and save you a bundle in taxes to boot. There's a big market for that sort of thing. :-)

[Mari333]

9. I have offered the extra room in my home to friends, in case someone loses their own living space

I have one friend who might lose her house, and over the years other friends have informed me of their worries that they might not have a place to live as they age. I have always always told them, that, no matter what, they will have a roof over their heads. I have one spare bedroom they can use if they need it. I allowed one young man who was a friend of my son to use the room when he was in transition. I have a small house, but I think
every person has a room or two available to spare. You would not believe the sigh of relief I have heard from my occasional friends who tell me of their worries about where they will live when I tell them "No, you can live here until you get on your feet, you can use the spare room anytime."
I live alone, in a small 2 bedroom home, which means I have more than enough room for another person.
I know how terrifying it is to wonder if you might be sleeping in the street. I had that happen to me when I was young in Chicago.
If EVERYONE in this country said to their friends, look, you can stay with me while you are getting on your feet, imagine how much could be done.
This lady went far beyond the average person, god bless her for her heart and kindness.

[madokie]

13. That brings out the tears

what a wonderful lady

thanks for posting

[GreenPartyVoter]

18. Wow! That is so wonderful!

[avaistheone1]

24. Bless Esela's heart.

What a generous and honorable human being. Nobel prizes really belong to people like her.

[BrklynLiberal]

28. Wow. That is amazing...

[Mind_your_head]

30. I've heard this same sort of generosity time-and-time again

from people who live in 5+ bedroom McMansions with the Jack-Jill baths, Dual (sexy ;-) showerheads in the masterbath.....Blech.

You can live here with us until you 'get on your feet'.

WAIT! No, I've NEVER heard that from people who live in McMansions. Ever. Have you?

[L. Coyote]

31. Error: You've already recommended that thread

[demwing]

34. I simply cannot wrap my brain around the fact that some people find fault in this action

I suppose there are people that refuse to be pleased under any circumstances. How sad for them.

[Libertas1776]

35. Estela knows how to pay it forward

Bless her heart.

[proteus_lives]

39. Good for her.

I hope for nothing but good things in future for her and Reed.

[EndersDame]

43. Hey Everybody I am From The Rio Grande Valley

This is one of the poorest areas of the nation.The RGV is right at the tip of Texas just north of Mexico. The poverty rates are extremely high but there still is an oldschool sense of community. I doubt this woman is looking for a sweet tax write off. Y'all need to stop being such cynics