People help mom of 3-year-old fighting cancer after she receives rude note from neighbor about 'eyesore' house
Community members rallied to help an Alabama woman who was shamed by her neighbor for neglecting to maintain her house after she revealed it was in disarray because she is caring for her son, who has cancer.
Randa Ragland, who lives in Pinson, Ala., posted about a letter she received in a private Facebook group on Wednesday.
The mother of 5 said she received a note in the mail telling her that unmaintained property was an “eyesore” and that she should “do better.”
“Your eyesore is affecting the resale value of our homes,” the note reads. “Who wants to buy a house near you and look at that daily? It does not take that much effort, all you have to do is give a s***.”
Ragland said she did not want to post about the note initially but decided to show “anyone and everyone” because “you never know what is going on with the next person.”
Ragland said her “family is truly going through rough times right now” as her son Jaxen, who has autism, and was diagnosed with stage-4 Neuroblastoma in October last year, just days before his third birthday.
In her post, Ragland says since then, their lives have consisted of doctors visits, clinic appointments and hospital stays, as her son “has literally been fighting for his life.”
“I say all of this to say. Try being kind to your neighbor or the stranger you let in when there’s traffic. Say hello to people. Just kindness. It’s crazy how things like this can truly change a person. Because just a year ago. I would [have] been so angry from this note. But I truly don’t have the energy for that kind of negativity,” she wrote. “Maybe the owner of this note might see this. And maybe not. But either way I feel this might touch someone and that is enough in itself.”
Ragland wasn’t the only one upset with the note. After reading her post, dozens of people came together to help the mom out by starting a Facebook group called “Jaxen’s Army for Justice.” Community members have collected donations for Jaxen’s care and even mowed her lawn.
“They started this group for my son,” Ragland tells Yahoo Lifestyle. “It is wonderful knowing people do still care, and that not every one is self-absorbed.”
According to Ragland, around 30 people came to her home on Saturday to help her with household chores and maintenance.
She adds that she didn’t know any of the people in the group previously — and didn’t expect anything to come from her post.
“It is so awesome that it has happened,” she says. “No one should go through this alone.”
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