Elderly Woman Bequeaths House to a Homeless Man – Family Powerless
Elly Barnes, at the age of 96, had become too frail to continue living alone and maintain her little cottage. Thus, she hatched a plan that left the entire village in awe.
Steven’s Astonishing Inheritance
Steven stood in front of the house, holding his breath. He could hardly believe that this house now belonged to him. He had been here so many times before, but this was the first time as the rightful owner.
Something Out of Place
Using the key provided by the lawyer, he entered the house. As Steven looked around, it immediately felt as familiar as on happy days.
There was a large suitcase on the table with his name on it. With trembling hands, he slowly opened the suitcase, and his jaw dropped instantly.
In disbelief, he stared at the contents and thought, “I can’t believe she did this!” To better understand Steven’s situation and his astonishment, a bit of background story is necessary.
Elly Barnes
Elly Barnes was a 96-year-old woman who lived in rural Alaska. She had grown up nearby and never felt the need to leave. She loved the area almost as much as she loved Peter, her husband of 72 years.
Tragic Events
One day, Peter passed away unexpectedly after a brief battle in the hospital. Elly was devastated. Despite her age, she had never really considered what would happen if Peter were to die first.
Separate Paths
Unlike Elly and Peter, their children hadn’t fallen in love with Alaska. They had decided to move far away and travel south to the United States.
Childhood Sweethearts
Elly had moved to Alaska as a young child and met Peter on her first day of school. Back then, there wasn’t much for two kids to do except play in the garden or ride bikes together.
Hard Times
After their wedding, Elly and Peter struggled to find steady employment. Instead of Elly’s dream house, they could only afford a small ranch with a single bedroom and a tiny living area.
Tenacious and Strong
When Peter passed away, it felt like the house had been patched and repaired a million times over. Elly knew that any sensible person would have torn it down by this point, but there were too many memories to let go.
A Helping Hand
Fortunately, Elly could rely on help from one of her neighbors, who lived just ten minutes away on foot. They had been friends for years and offered to see what they could do to keep the house in order.
A Second Chance
Elly’s neighbors were getting older themselves and couldn’t do much of the manual labor needed for the house repairs.
Finding a Job
Steven had been struggling to find a job. In such a rural area, there were few opportunities, and he couldn’t earn enough to move out on his own.
Leisure Time
Steven was healthy and strong enough to do many tasks around Elly’s house that his parents couldn’t handle. He had free time and started helping Elly as much as he could.
Steven’s Invitation
When Steven first returned to town, everyone in the small community knew he had been homeless. They judged him and didn’t give him a chance. He felt so alone. But Elly and Peter had welcomed him immediately and pulled him out of his crisis by inviting him for dinner occasionally.
A Good Deed
Steven continued to take care of Elly to the best of his ability. He went shopping for her, cleaned the house, and even carried out repairs. They developed an even stronger bond.
Confrontation
Steven’s parents weren’t thrilled when they saw their son working for Elly for free. He spent so much time at her house that he had no time left to apply for a job.
The Ultimatum
Finally, Steven’s parents told him that he had to decide whether he wanted to help Elly or stay at home. They couldn’t continue supporting him if he didn’t make an effort to earn a living.
The Tough Choice
Steven told his parents that he didn’t want to abandon Elly. They had spent months together, and he considered her his only friend. Steven’s parents told him to pack his things and leave.
Leaving Elly Behind
Steven stood at a crossroads. He knew he would have better opportunities in one of the bigger cities if he left the small town. But that would mean leaving Elly behind.
The Decision
Steven decided he had to move away for his own well-being. His parents were thrilled and gave him enough money to stay in a motel for a few weeks while he found a job.
Farewell
Steven went to tell Elly the news. She was devastated by the news. They had grown closer after spending so much time together.
Adjusting
Elly tried to cope without Steven, but she had become reliant on his help. She was too old to do many things by herself. Her children kept urging her to leave the house and move down south.
Living Alone
Elly was determined to give living alone a real chance. She went to the supermarket, kept the house clean, and tried to perform some repairs herself.
She Broke Her Hip
While tidying up the kitchen, Elly tripped over a towel that had fallen to the floor. It seemed like a trivial accident, but Elly fell heavily and broke her hip.
No Other Choice
Elly had always fiercely resisted this idea, but by this point, reality had become clear. She knew that what she was trying to do was foolish and dangerous, and that she was only causing her family worry.
Who Would Get the House?
Elly knew she could try to sell the house, but that would obviously not bring in much money. Besides, there was only one person who truly had a claim to it. Steven!
Help from a Lawyer
She also wanted the lawyer to inform Steven about everything because Elly knew she wouldn’t get a word out of him if she called him herself.
Handing Over the House to Steven
What she was certain of, though, was that he wanted what she had left for him. Because the house was merely a decoy to hide what Elly actually wanted to give Steven. But that had to remain a surprise.
Steven Has Doubts
Elly’s gesture was almost too generous. Something in Steven told him that maybe his parents had something to do with it. Could they have wanted him to live closer to home again?
Steven
Steven was taken aback by Elly’s generous offer, even though he suspected his parents had something to do with it. Besides, he could easily sell the house for cash if he wanted to.
Not Suited for City Life
Having lived on the streets and struggled to find stable employment, Steven’s return to the city was a challenge.
A Condition
With the potential funds from selling the house, Steven could have a better start here. That was his initial plan.
No Explanation
This peculiar clause left Steven puzzled and bewildered. He wanted an explanation, but the lawyer couldn’t provide further details, or perhaps chose not to.
Many Questions for Elly
The next step for Steven was to call Elly. He wanted to express his gratitude for her gesture and inquire about her well-being. Why did she move out of the house?
Unreachable
Despite numerous attempts, Steven couldn’t reach Elly. Every time he called, the phone went to voicemail. Suddenly, worry crept into Steven’s mind.
The lawyer
The lawyer had provided no explanation as to why Elly had moved out of the house, only why she wanted to give it to him. At the time, Steven hadn’t thought to question it and simply accepted the offer gratefully.
Straight to the House
Upon arriving in town, Steven made his way directly to Elly’s house. He didn’t want his parents to know he was there, so he avoided passing near their house.
A Large Suitcase
As he entered the house with the keys collected from the lawyer, he was surprised to find two new locks on the door. At first glance, there seemed to be nothing else out of the ordinary.
Full of Envelopes
Steven recognized Elly’s handwriting when he opened the suitcase. He discovered that it was filled with small envelopes.
Tasks Steven Had Done
He then picked a few other envelopes. “For fixing the gutter,” “For cleaning the kitchen,” “For taking a walk.” All tasks Steven had done over the years for Elly and Peter.
They’re Full of Money!
After sequentially opening and unpacking all the envelopes and counting the money, Steven realized that it totaled about $15,000!
Steven Moved to Tears
Elly explained that he had earned all of it in the past two years, but he had never accepted it. This was her way of repaying Steven for all his kindness and help.
Changing His Life
With the money, Steven eventually moved to Anchorage and purchased an apartment. Now having a solid foundation, he was able to completely change his life.
Still Owning the House
His relationship with his parents also improved over time, and he now visits them almost once a month. Whenever he’s in town, he stops by Elly’s house to make any necessary repairs.
Reunion with Elly
Steven would see Elly once more before she passed away. About six months after she gave him the house and the money, he visited her at the nursing home.