Volunteers answer call to help vet who fell into tough times

By Ted Scouten

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    MIAMI (WFOR) — It’s a big clean-up around Holton’s place in Richmond Heights.

Workers were there helping James Holton, who is an Air Force vet, who fell into tough times.

“I got sick in 2004, I had pneumonia and TB at the same time. I ended up with cancer, lost some ribs on my left side. I just couldn’t work,” he said.

With everything going on, it was difficult to keep up the house.

Eventually he, his wife Theresa and his family had to move out. “It was a feeling of hopelessness,” said Theresa. “We wasn’t hopeful at all. We didn’t know what to do or who to turn to,” she said.

Just when things were at their worst the Holton’s got in contact with Rebuilding Together Miami-Dade and the Home Depot Foundation.

Now the house is being repainted, holes are getting fixed, repairs are being made and the landscaping is getting a facelift. “It makes me want to cry. I wasn’t expecting this,” said James.

“I think it’s amazing that so many people have come together to help us. We really needed it,” said Theresa.

And doing all this work are volunteers from Home Depot, many are vets as well.

“We come here to take care of our veterans because of the service they provided for us,” said William Farley from The Home Depot Foundation.

“Just giving back to our veterans. It’s very important to Home Depot and the associates who are here today,” he said.

More work is being done on the inside.

The Holton’s can’t wait to move back in. “It makes me feel good! That people could come together like this, from all walks of the world, all different agencies, all different cultures and work today. It can be done,” Theresa said.

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