ORANGE, MASS. (WHDH) - A project to replace some doors quickly turned into a major home renovation as the small town of Orange came together to help out a 93-year-old World War II and Korean War veteran.
It all began when Eugene Litchfield came to the police station in near tears to ask about senior housing. He told Brenda Anderson he could no longer safely live in the home he has lived in for the last 55 years.
“He said that he’s fallen several times in his house and his backyard, he said he needs to use a walker now and his doorways aren’t wide enough for the walker so anytime he tries to go without it, he tends to fall down,” Anderson said. “We decide right then to help him.”
So, she got right to work hiring contractors to do the job.
She said that when the community found out, they wanted to do even more for the man who had sacrificed so much.
“We had a contractor that said what about his bathtub he can’t get in and out of the shower because of the tub unit,” Anderson said. “And another contractor said that’s great but how can he get back down the steps with a walker.”
With the doors widened, wheelchair ramps installed and an accessible bathroom in place, Litchfield was ready to stay put for the foreseeable future. He even got a new washer and dryer.
As an added bonus, the community dug even deeper to ensure Litchfield could continue one of his favorite hobbies,
“We had someone step forward and donated raised garden beds because he loves going in his backyard to garden but bending over is a problem,” said Anderson.
The community going above and beyond for one of their own.
“We’ve had people stop with food we’ve had people stop and come in and say, ‘Hey, what can I do,” Anderson said. “We had a woman the other day came in and just started cleaning and the next day she came in with curtains she had hand sewen for her because she recognized her curtains needed fixing”.
She hopes this inspires people to reach out and support one another.
“If anybody can just see a need in their community, even if it’s small, and step up to the plate and be the person that’s willing to be the catalyst to make something happen,” said Anderson.
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