NJ Community Steps Up To Build New Home, Raise Funds For Teen With Cerebral Palsy
BAYVILLE, N.J. (CBSNewYork) – It's been a trying time for one New Jersey family. They're struggling to cope with their child's cerebral palsy.
Now, people in their community are stepping in to make their lives a bit better.
Off of busy Bay Boulevard in Bayville sits a small house with a lot of love inside. The Falzaranos might just be one of the happiest families you'll ever meet.
They're still smiling even though things have been pretty difficult, dad working hard overnight and mom holding down the fort.
As 15-year-old Val gets bigger, living with cerebral palsy is getting tougher.
"You think you can do it on your own, but you can't with a kid like this," Kim Falzarano explained.
That's why neighbors are lending a helping hand; working together to renovate the Falzaranos' home. They've pitched in to make it wheelchair accessible, with wider doors, a special shower, and a lot more space to movie around in.
"How will this be changing your life?" CBS2's Reena Roy asked the family.
"Oh my god, it'll make it so much easier. He can get around," the teen's mother said.
"We can do a lot more fun things," Val's sister, Bella added.
Neighbor Rob Fetzer has a daughter who is also disabled and knew he had to step in when the Falzaranos struggled financially with their renovations.
He's been hard at work at a highly discounted rate nearly every day since Thanksgiving.
"Just seeing what they went through I had a lot of compassion for what they had to deal with," Fetzer said.
Local businesses and complete strangers have been chipping in at several fundraisers. So far, the community has raised more than $10,000 for the Falzaranos.
"Bayville is very good strong knit community and we always stick together," Kathy Rausa said.
"People in my neighborhood that live paycheck to paycheck like us are donating to help us. It humbles you… I can't thank everybody enough," Falzarano said.
To celebrate, the Falzaranos plan on hosting a pizza party when they officially move into their brand new home in the next couple of weeks.
Local residents told CBS2 they plan to keep raising funds for the Falzaranos, in the hopes of doubling the money that's already come in.
