Many young couples spend their summers going away somewhere on holiday, camping, hiking or just relaxing.
But Kristin and Adam Polhemus are not like everyone else.
The couple from Hamilton Township, New Jersey, spent their entire summer renovating a rented house on the plot next door. The house belongs to Anne Glacey, an elderly woman who’d been living as an outcast for years.
The retired teacher who’d grown up in that same house was now being threatened with eviction. If she did not make the necessary repairs to her house that her municipality required, she would also be fined — up to USD $3,000 a day.
Because Anne was very withdrawn, she had no friends or family who were willing to help her.
The paint on her house was chipped, the grass on her yard overgrown and an abandoned old car stood rusting up front. Anne meanwhile, was so worried about her future and did not know what to do.
But one day when she returned home, she discovered that Kristin and Adam had done the unthinkable…
Anne Glancey’s house was not only sad looking, it was also physically falling apart. Hamilton Township finally sent her a notice, formal demanding that the house be restored to a safe and more aesthetically pleasing environment. Failing to abide could get Anne an USD $3,000 daily fine.
Among other things, the city demanded that she paint her house, remove the rusty car on her property and mow her lawn.
The reclusive Anne didn’t know what to do. She was already having a hard time getting ends to meet and had no friends or family who could help.
Adam and Kristin Polhemus moved next door to Anne five years ago — and were the first and only ones to ever reach out to their reclusive neighbor.
The young couple heard of Anne’s problems and that the retired teacher could be evicted. But every time they asked if they could help, Anne changed the subject.
Ultimately, Kristin and Adam decided to take the matter into their own hands.
Over the summer of 2016 ,they decided to rebuild Anne’s house. They gathered friends, neighbors and volunteers.
There was a lot of work to do — and it took every weekend throughout the summer before they were done.
During much of the renovation, Anne remained indoors, not even aware of what was happening to her house.
But eventually, Anne began to come out of her shell.
She sometimes emerged with a homemade carrot cake and fresh orange juice for the volunteers.
Eventually, the house was beautifully restored. The grass was cut. And the old rusty car on the lawn was towed away.
And after many late nights, sweat, blood and tears, the house was almost as new.
Hamilton Township has now withdrawn the violations.
“To see the joy on our neighbor’s face, I think the biggest thing is Anne’s happiness and her kind of restored life,” Adam told People.com.
What an incredible story of friendship and selflessness. If you also want to pay tribute to these nice neighbors, be sure to share their story of kindness!
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