When Myrtle Dillard and her family watched their nearly 100-year-old home being torn down in March, they weren't sure what to expect.
The Fort Myers family had lived in the 958-square-foot, two-bedroom, one-bathroom dwelling for 33 years and the structure had fallen into a state of disrepair.
What they saw when Lee BIA Builders Care and Stevens Construction revealed their new home on Tuesday likely put all their apprehension and worry to rest.
"Let me breathe. I'm just so, I'm so happy and grateful," Myrtle Dillard said after the reveal. "I'm just, I don't have any words. I done run out of words. I'm just happy. I finally stopped crying. But it's beautiful. It's beautiful. It's gorgeous."
Dillard said the home is a major life change for her family.
"We were living in deplorable conditions," she said. "But we went on through it anyway and then on our journey to this new house I lost my husband. So now it fell all on me, and I made it. I made it."
The 60-day demo and rebuild project by Builders Care and Stevens was in response to issues the Dillard family faced; Myrtle Dillard was caring for her daughter and twin granddaughters, she also had health concerns and her husband, Joseph, had recently died.
On the home issue, the forest green old house not only required extensive repairs, but also lacked necessary accessibility features, posing serious safety risks for Dillard, who relies on wheelchair access.
The project went into rebuild rather than remodel mode with local builder Stevens committing to taking over the entire home rebuild — from the foundation on up — and covering the full cost of the project to help ensure the Dillard family can live safely and comfortably in their home for years to come.
The new home is 1,347 square feet with three bedrooms and two bathrooms to accommodate the family's needs. Accessible doorways, bathroom and a wheelchair ramp ensure Myrtle Dillard can navigate her home comfortably.
Community partners and donors helped fill the new home with necessities, including furniture, appliances, decor and household supplies. Additionally, Harry Chapin Food Bank helped ensure the family’s kitchen cabinets and fridge were filled with food and essentials for their first night home.
From 100-years-old to new
Randy Thibaut, board member and co-founder of Lee BIA Builders Care and CEO and founder of Retland Holdings, said the group was looking for a project but has to be certain of the parameters. He said there is definitely a difference between want and need.
"We were looking for need. And Terolyn Watson, city councilwoman, brought this family, the Dillard family, Myrtle Dillard. These folks truly are humble and are in need," he said.
When they were found, he said, the family was basically in an emergency housing need.
"They were in 100-year-old home that had basically rotted to the ground, no water for showers, no AC. And so we reached out to Mark Stevens and Stevens Construction, Builders Care, all the vendors, hundreds of people from the building industry, donors, money, and in 60 days we tore their house down and built them this brand new home at no cost to them."
Mark Stevens from Stevens Construction said he and his workers and company also received a lot from the project.
"You know, I think in our day to day lives, it's hard to comprehend the need that we have in our own backyard and our own community," Stevens said. "And being a resident here since 1975. This community has served my family very well and my business very well. So to be able to help identify or have someone identify, really, the needs that are out there and just be able to contribute a little bit to that. It's just, it's heartwarming."
Since 2005, Lee BIA Builders Care has helped nearly 500 individuals and families by providing A/C repairs, wheelchair ramps, roof replacements, remodeling projects and other critical repairs that allow deserving elderly and/or disabled homeowners, and their families, to live safely and comfortably in their own homes. Projects are made possible through generous donors and community partners who provide labor and materials to bring a project into reality.
Dozens of industry partners contributed to the Dillard project through donation of labor and materials, including: American Builders Supply; Barraco & Associates; BH Flooring Studio; Bolaños Truxton, P.A.; The City of Fort Myers; Clive Daniel Home; Collins DuPont; Cougar Companies; Crowther Roofing; Ferguson; Floorcrafters; Ford Drywall; Hanlon; Honc Destruction; John’s To Go; Juniper Landscaping; Lee Designs; Liberty Aluminum; Mo Better Garage; Montgomery Cabinetry; MSI; Plumbing Solutions; Preferred Materials; Priority Marketing; Raymond Building Supply; Service Contractors; Sherwin Williams; Southern Door; SunCoast Contractors Supply; SunMAC Stone Specialists; Southwest Waste Management; Taulman Pest Control; United Mechanical; Universal Engineering; Valtex; Wilson Lighting; and York Electric.
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