(WSVN) - A waitress of more than 50 years, who lost her three sons to cancer and battled cancer herself, then faced another set of terrible events, is getting the help she needed. She turned to a long time friend, Patrick Fraser.
You saw her on Help Me Howard. Now, see what you did to change her life.
In a life filled with tragedies, Shorty never expected this great news.
Patrick Fraser: “Surprise you?”
Jerita Shorty Collins: “Definitely. If that don’t give me a heart attack, nothing will.”
Let’s go back to 1970 when Shorty walked into Jimmy’s Eastside Diner to get a job as a waitress.
Jerita Shorty Collins: “I love it. I wish I could be there right now working.”
She was a single mom with three little boys, fleeing an ex in Alabama who tried to kill her. For 53 years, the restaurant was her home.
Jerita Shorty Collins: “My customers give me the strength from Jimmy’s and they were always there for me.”
I was one of her customers for decades and saw how she needed encouragement to endure her agony.
After one son died at 18 from cancer, then another died of cancer, and at 43, her third son died of cancer.
Jerita Shorty Collins: “And then six months after my last son, I found my first bout with cancer.”
Shorty beat cancer but her horrible luck continued.
She developed heart and lung problems.
While in the hospital, lightning struck her condo, destroyed her air conditioner. Pipes burst. Her home was soaked.
She didn’t have the money to fix it and mold grew everywhere.
Jerita Shorty Collins: “I don’t want anybody to feel sorry for me. They didn’t do it to me. I didn’t do it to me.”
Her bad luck continued. Her car was stolen. Police recovered it. It was repaired.
Five days later after she got it back, she went outside.
Jerita Shorty Collins: “And my car is gone again. Same thing happened. They broke the glass again.”
Unable to work, Shorty was living on a small social security check. She didn’t have the money to fix her moldy apartment or repair her car.
When she called me, it’s the first time in all the years I have known her, she sounded defeated.
Jerita Shorty Collins: “I feel like I’m the worst person in the world.”
Patrick Fraser: “What do you mean by that?”
Jerita Shorty Collins: “Because I have such rotten luck.”
And then our Help Me Howard story aired. A Gofundme page was set up to help her fix her car and condo. I showed her the total raised .
Patrick Fraser: “1,200 people donated to you.”
Jerita Shorty Collins: “Oh, my God.”
Patrick Fraser: “That surprise you?”
Jerita Shorty Collins: “It’s unbelievable.”
The money was unbelievable. The notes left Shorty overwhelmed.
Patrick Fraser: “Len wrote, ‘Shorty brought tears to my eyes when she said she feels like such a bad person. Nothing that has happened to her was her fault. What a sweet lady.’ Here’s what Patricia said, ‘Shorty, we love you.'”
And the help continued. A general contractor, Scotty Mac, offered to remove the mold, clear out her wet furniture, clean the walls and repaint and on and on.
Scotty Mac: “It’s just something that’s close to my heart to help people. Me and my team. I’ve met a lot of people in my career, and I got to tell you, she is the most humble, down to earth, deserving person I’ve ever met.”
It’s nice now. And her enthusiasm has returned.
Remember how despondent she was before South Floridians came to her rescue?
Her smile is back. Seeing the donations let her breathless and she joked about the time it would take to get her breath back.
Patrick Fraser: “How long is it going to take? Five minutes?
Jerita Shorty Collins: “We might as well go ahead, because sometimes, sometimes it takes an hour.”
Shorty can now afford furniture to replace her moldy things thanks to caring South Floridians.
Jerita Shorty Collins: “It’s remarkable and I want to thank them so much. I’m trying to be brave and not cry but I can’t help it.”
And Shorty is going to do something she hasn’t been able to afford to do.
She put the ashes of all three sons in the ocean. She wants to go out on a charter boat where she sprinkled their remains.
Jerita Shorty Collins: “I need to talk to my sons. I just close my eyes and I hear them.”
Shorty has another goal; Get healthier and go back to work at Jimmy’s.
Jerita Shorty Collins: “I have to show people that I have as much faith in them as they have in me.”
Keep going. To see the people who not only changed her life but maybe saved it.
Jerita Shorty Collins: “My God. It’s so unbelievable. And I would tell every one of you, I wish I could give you a big hug and a kiss and tell you how much I love you, and how much I appreciate you.”
I always knew Shorty was unique. Now, South Florida knows.
The money from her Gofundme page is now safe in the bank. First thing she’s going to do, buy a new bed and furniture to replace her moldy mess, all thanks to you, South Florida. Bless you.
With this Help Me Howard, I’m Patrick Fraser, 7News.
CONTACT HELP ME HOWARD:
Email: helpmehoward@wsvn.com
Reporter: Patrick Fraser at pfraser@wsvn.com
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