Man with Deadly Disease and His Deaf Stepdaughter Given Heartwarming Surprise Worth $80K
Human kindness is one of those things that is as valuable as it is vital. It’s such a simple thing and yet one that we never tire of hearing about.
A 49-year-old man in New York who suffers from ALS recently experienced one such act of kindness from a group that went above and beyond to meet his family’s needs.
Keith Mauro can’t walk or work to provide for his family since the devastating diagnosis. “I was holding onto walls, and taking falls,” Mauro told WLNY.
Mauro lives with his wife and 12-year-old stepdaughter Olivia, who is deaf. Their Port Jefferson Station home was very much in need of handicap-accessible upgrades now that Mauro depends on a wheelchair to get around.
The family couldn’t afford the upgrades, so Rescuing Families stepped in. The charity aims to help disabled or financially struggling people like Mauro with repairs in their homes.
Not only did Rescuing Families give Mauro’s home a handicap-accessible bathroom, but they surprised the family with new floors, paint, a deck and landscaping.
“How do you repay for something like this? We’ll be friends for life…” Mauro told WCBS News Radio 880. “They made such a big difference in our life.”
“You don’t have to have a lot of money to help out, you just have to have the love and the will to want to help your neighbors,” Gina Centauro told WLNY. “We believe in neighbors helping neighbors.”
According to the news outlet, this neighborly gesture cost Rescuing Families around $80,000 to complete — but they’re not stopping with Keith. The charity hopes to help renovate eight houses total in 2019.
“What joy was felt for Keith, Karen & Olivia!” co-founder Gina Centauro wrote on Facebook following the emotional surprise. “We were so happy to finally have them home & to be able to help make their lives a little easier. They have become family to us as we can’t wait to see them enjoy their newly [renovated] home.”
Mauro and his family are beyond grateful for the new changes to their home, but they still need help with medical bills and other costs accrued because of this man’s disability.
To reach out or make a donation, please visit Keith Mauro’s GoFundMe page and please keep him and his family in your prayers.
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