❤️To Whom It May Concern:

I don't even know where to begin to thank everyone that's involved with WNC Lighthouse Mission in fixing the roof on my mom's home. Thank you doesn't seem to be enough. I truly mean this as this has been life changing for my mom. My father passed away 5 1⁄2 years ago and things have not been easy for my mom, Lillian Shepherd, since then. She lives on a very limited income and extras are hard to come by. The year that he passed away my mom's roof started leaking. We bought something that was painted on the roof, that's for roofs, and it seemed as though this fixed it. However, within a year it started leaking again and several family members did the same thing again and it worked for a short time. Then we resorted to putting a tarp on the roof as it started leaking yet again, and we would have to change them about every 3-4 months because they would dry rot and stop working and roof would have leaked again. My mom hit rock bottom 2 years ago when she had covid and I actually had it at the same time. She was very sick, and I'd call her throughout the day to check on her. On one phone conversation in particular during that week, I had never heard her sound so low and down and out. Ever. She is usually so happy I knew immediately her roof must be leaking so I asked. She said it was, and it was all she could do to empty all the pans due to it leaking so badly, and she barely had strength to even walk. She had sat down approximately 6-8 pans to catch all the water and it had been pouring down for days. She later told me that she had cried and cried which totally broke my heart. I also should add that my mom was so sick from Covid that I was afraid of losing her. I called a neighbor and asked if they could possibly go by and put a tarp on her roof but not to contact my mom or go inside since she had covid. They went by and did this for me, and I was so grateful as my husband had just had an accident with his hand and couldn't do it and I was sick also. My mom told me she had been praying and praying to figure out a way to fix her roof. I told her that I had been as well and it's just a matter of time before God will give us answers. I contacted Habitat for Humanity in several counties and filled paperwork out to get her some help and we contacted social services as well. It seemed as though the long waiting lists would not help my mom in getting her roof fixed. Melinda Taylor came by my office to discuss all the things that the WNC Lighthouse program offers to help patients. On a whim I asked if she thought it was possible for my mom to get help with her roof. To say I was elated when she felt that she could possibly help with this is an understatement. It still seemed too good to be true. We feel so incredibly blessed that not only did she get a new roof, but they fixed her ceiling that was falling through from the leaking roof and put in a new front door as this had damage as well from all the rain. She seems like a new person. Everyone has been so kind to her. Even though she is 78 years old she is so independent and lives on her own with no problem. If the roof had not been fixed, she would not have been able to live the rest of her life there. She is happier than I have seen her in a long time and for that I will forever be grateful. God answered our prayers. She has a new lease on life, and I love that he answers prayers in ways we cannot fathom. I would personally like to thank each and every person that had a hand or heart in my mom's home to help make it livable. We have peace in knowing that she will be safe and dry in her home and in knowing that God is always there even in the midst of all the storms.

Sincerely,

Tessa Wright