POMPANO BEACH, FLA. (WSVN) - After her story went viral months ago, neighbors and strangers are working together to make much-needed repairs to the home of the 92-year-old, who couldn’t afford to retire until now.
Muriel Connick’s story gained a lot of attention online after a woman-turned-friend found out the 92-year-old was working at a Burlington store in Pompano Beach because she couldn’t afford to retire.
A viral GoFundMe campaign created by newly found friend April Steele raised thousands of dollars in support of Connick.
Steele found Connick working at the clothing store and knew she had to do something to help the elderly woman out.
Months later, several neighbors and strangers came together to renovate her home.
“We’re just gonna take it all out, you know, we’re gonna take it all to the subfloor, re-lay plywood so it lasts a lot longer and then put some new flooring down,” said Bob Stenbeck from Bobkat Construction, one of the companies that supported the campaign.
“We’re just gonna try our best to get done quickly and get her back in here as soon as possible,” said Adam Morgenstern from Elevated Construction, another company that supported the campaign.
Crews from each company said this renovation project is not like their standard jobs.
“We really thought that it’s something that we can do to help the community, you know, we’ve been really blessed with our businesses, so we just wanted to share that with other people,” said Stenbeck.
Stenbeck and Morgenstern, along with their partners, donated to the campaign after hearing about Connick’s story on 7News in January.
“Nobody should be working until they’re 92 years old. We’ve all been given a lot in life, and to recognize that and give it back is what matters most,” said Stenbeck.
Connick’s story was also shared on Inside Edition, where her tenacity and work ethic resonated with countless viewers who wanted to help her.
What began as Steele’s idea to start a GoFundMe to raise a couple of thousand dollars to help the elderly woman has soared to unbelievable heights, with more than $120,000 donated to help Connick.
“I’m just so happy that everybody’s helping me and that you’re doing this for me. I really appreciate it,” said Connick with Steele by her side.
The 92-year-old can now proudly say she’s officially retired. She stopped working a couple of weeks ago, thanks in part to a generous community.
“Something simple like that has changed somebody’s life,” said Steele.
“It changed my whole life,” said Connick.
“I didn’t know it would,” said Steele.
“I didn’t either,” said Connick.
Their random encounter at the clothing store, which would go viral on social media, changed both their lives.
“God sent you here,” said Connick, referring to Steele. “I told her, and that’s the truth.”
She added that their fateful meeting was meant to be.
“It’s her first time in there, and she said, ‘Oh, I think I’ll go in,’ and God is the one who told her to go in,” said Connick.
Whether it was serendipity or divine intervention that brought both women together, Steele said, even the smallest gestures can have an untold impact on a stranger’s life.
“Don’t just sit back; if you see something, something small, even that you can do,” said Steele. “You just don’t know what it can turn into.”
Also joining Stenbeck and Morgenstern to renovate Connick’s home as quickly as possible are crews for New Creations Design and Construction, LW Flooring, Rocksteady Consulting, Padilha Construction, and Heartland Flooring Solutions.
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