Ridley Township Police Officer, Residents Rally Together To Help Homeless Mother And Sick Daughter
RIDLEY TOWNSHIP, Pa. (CBS) -- A mom and her ailing daughter- forced to live on the street by huge medical bills- will now have a warm, safe home for Christmas thanks to a spontaneous outpouring of love from a Delaware County police officer and more than a hundred residents of Ridley Township.
Just over 24 hours ago, Ridley Township Police Corporal Jason McDevitt found Eleanor Gehret and her daughter, Jennifer, who suffers from serious medical problems, shivering, wet and hungry on a shopping center parking lot where they had lived for 2 rain-filled days after being evicted from their apartment for failing to pay their rent.
The corporal and a neighbor immediately brought food and warming soup for the pair, who stood with all their possessions at their feet, their dog Maxi and cat Misty, in a box.
"She was dying for something to eat, her lips were chapped," Corporal McDevitt told CBS 3's Walt Hunter.
"It was very cold, and very wet, I was upset my dog was shivering and I didn't know how to keep him warm," Gehret explained.
After booking the pair into a nearby motel for a couple of days, the Corporal and neighbors began a 24-hour fundraising blitz, raising more than $10,000, along with gift cards and donations of food and beverages.
They also signed a $6,800 check-enough to guarantee mom and daughter they could move back into their apartment and live there for months to come.
Early Friday afternoon,Corporal McDevitt arrived at the motel to give mom and daughter the good news- he was ready to give them a ride back home.
As she hugged the Corporal with tears in her eyes, Gehret explained, "Jen kept asking me about Christmas. I said I don't think were gonna do Christmas. I don't want to think about Christmas, I don't care about Christmas. Now she's going to have the best one in years."
The mom and daughter, quickly packed and, along with their pets, headed home with the Corporal in his police car.
"This is one major miracle," Gehret concluded, "because I never thought anything like this would happen.Thank you, again, everybody."
If you would like to know more, visit the GoFundMe page set up for the Gehrets by clicking here.