Carrie Lou Rausch has lived in the same nursing home for the last three years. The money she received from selling her childhood home has been financing her stay thus far – at least until the funds recently started to run out.
Since the assisted living facility in Columbus, Ohio doesn’t accept Medicaid, Carrie Lou has been paying out of pocket for her stay. Though she could have moved in to a different facility, she was already familiar with the establishment because of her frequent visits to family members in the past.
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The page caught the attention of a local television station that reported the story. Hundreds of donors from 22 different states contributed a total of $56,000 – $16,000 more than their goal. The amount raised will be able to pay for one more year at the home.
“She’s been quite shocked at [the whole thing] and can’t figure why anyone would ever be enamored by her,” Carrie Lou’s grandson Christopher Smith told the Good News Network. “That’s just the way Grandma is though. My family is all still shaking our collective heads though at the generosity of strangers.”
“My whole family and I are so incredibly grateful for the support and generosity of all those who have allowed us to reach and exceed our goal,” wrote Susan. “What an amazing testament to the existence of basic human kindness in a time when it sometimes seems in short supply.”
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“It’s certainly not out of the question that Mom has more than one active year left in her amazing life, and the additional funds will remain available for expenses into the following year. As explained in the original description, any unused funds will be donated to her church, of which she has been a lifelong member.”
Some of the crowdfunding page’s visitors asked why Carrie Lou didn’t just move back in with her daughter, but Susan explained that the family doesn’t have the resources to provide continuous care. Plus, she doesn’t want to inflict devastation on her mother by making her move from a place she’s already familiar with.
Multiply The Good: Click To Share With your Friends – (Photo by Susan Hatfield)