Elychia has lived in her New Hanover County home since she was a teenager. Her parents bought the house in 1980, and it became hers after her father passed away.
Along with the home came decades of belongings, memories and plenty of upkeep. While grieving the loss of her father, Elychia struggled to manage the property, especially the yard. A bad back made the physical work even more difficult.
She shared that she wishes there were a course on what to do when you receive a house after a family member passes away. She did not know where to begin or how to handle everything that came with it, all while navigating her grief.
Elychia reached out to WARM NC for help. On the day of her rebuild, volunteers from Cape Fear REALTORS® gathered to work outside her home. Elychia made sure they knew how much their time meant to her. Yard work may seem like a small need, she explained, but the relief it provided was “saving her life.”
The work also made the backyard safer for her small dog, Coco. Now, Coco has more room to enjoy the yard, and Elychia has one less overwhelming responsibility on her shoulders.
There are still reminders of her family throughout the property, including the large grills her father left on the patio. He was the grill master of the family, and the grills remain a special reminder of him.
For Elychia, the help meant more than a cleaner yard. It gave her back some time, peace of mind and space to enjoy the home that has been part of her life for so many years.