HOUSTON – It’s early morning and Bruce Parker of Magnolia and his wife, Doreen, are starting their day the way they start every day, sorting out all of the prescription drugs they have to take.
“OK, so do you have all your daytime meds, dear?” Doreen asks.
The Parkers literally spend hundreds of dollars out of their tight monthly budget on required medications they need to live and stay healthy.
You see, Bruce has had three strokes and Doreen has osteoarthritis and can barely walk, even with the help of a walker.
WATCH: Shower transformation for couple
“I have osteoarthritis in both knees. I have a torn meniscus that was fixed in my left knee and now my hip is locked in place because of that, and it’s bone on bone,” Doreen said while grabbing her legs. “So it’s just very hard for me to move and get around.”
As it is, Doreen struggles just to get through the front door of her small, 1,700-square-foot home in Magnolia, but getting into the couple's tiny, outdated bathtub and shower is basically impossible.
“I am afraid I’m going to fall. I could break my knee, break my back, break my neck, just trying to take a shower here,” Doreen said.
The fact is, the Parkers have needed a handicap-accessible shower for three years, but surviving entirely on Social Security disability benefits, the money to build a new shower just hasn’t been there.
The couple said they applied for help through United Way, but were turned down.
With no place else to turn, Doreen contacted Spencer Solves It.
Right away, we brought in the complete home experts at John Moore.
John Moore does more than just plumbing, heating and air conditioning; it also does remodeling, including bathroom transformations. They do roofing as well.
The crew at John Moore will measure and completely tear out the Parkers' old, dangerous and dilapidated tub and shower and build them a brand new, beautiful, walk-in shower, accessible to anyone.
Doreen gets to decide on the type of tile enclosure, the colors, the fixtures, everything involved in the project.
Claire Valentine with John Moore is thrilled to be helping this couple with something that they need so desperately.
“If it were my parents, I mean I would not be able to sleep at night just knowing the struggles that they have to go through just to take a shower. This is so important and we are happy to help,” Claire said.
As for Bruce and Doreen, they are amazed.
“It just means so much, just the fact that someone cares enough to help us. Thank you. We will think of you and of John Moore every time we use our new shower,” Doreen said, beginning to tear up.
The project will be completed in three to four weeks and would normally cost about $13,000, but the great people at John Moore are doing this whole thing absolutely free of charge.
If you need help with a problem you can’t possibly solve by yourself, contact Spencer Solves It at 713-223-TIPS (8477) or email us at solvesit@click2houston.com.