VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla – After three years of living under hazardous health conditions, James Northcote, a 90-year-old U.S. Marine Corps veteran, received the keys to his brand-new home in Volusia County.
“This is really nice,” Northcote, who fought in the Korean war, said. “I knew it was gonna be new but not as great as this.”
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It was a much different story for Northcote in November. At the time he was spraying down the walls of his mobile home with Clorox. He said mold started to grow after hurricane Irma tore off most of the roof.
“Rain came all the way down along this wall. I have buckets all over there on the other side of my bed,” Northcote said.
In 2018 James applied for assistance through the Rebuild Florida program--a state program intended to help people make repairs or replace their homes altogether. But the response to his request was taking more than he had expected. When residents realized his frustration, they joined forces to get him results.
“I can’t put in words how I feel. I wanna thank everyone who’s involved,” the veteran said.
Among the companies that helped are United Water Restoration Group, which set up a GoFundMe account and placed a blue tarp on the old house. Ducky Johnson Home Elevation demolished the old house and brought in the new two-bedroom, two-bathroom mobile home.
“We had to bring it in in two pieces, put it together; started on it Monday and we’re done today Friday,” Charles Johnson, owner of Ducky Johnson Home Elevation, said. “This new home is a 200-ounce service all-electric, energy-efficient; to see what he’d done to sacrifice for our country it does my heart great joy.”
James will still need appliances like a washer and dryer as well as other essentials for the home. You can make a donation by clicking or tapping here.
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