PORTLAND, Ore. — Teresa Walton has lived in Portland her entire life, downsizing to a smaller home in southeast about 30 years ago. In March, a fire broke out in her kitchen while she was cooking for company.
"That’s when a giant fireball in here just went shoosh, like a big vacuum," Walton said.
People wondered why she didn't cover the pan. "We couldn’t, we couldn’t get to the kitchen. The entire kitchen was a blaze," Walton explained.
The nearest fire station was just four blocks away and fortunately, crews contained the fire without injuries. However, the blaze left Walton’s home barely habitable.
“Nobody had any money to help me. I didn’t have anywhere to go. At one point, I did live on Foster Road,” Walton said.
Determined to stay in her home of 30 years, where she raised her children and where her husband passed away, Walton refused to move into a nursing home.
“I don’t want to go into a nursing home. This is my home! This is where I lived for 30 years! This is where I raised my children, this is where my husband died. No,” she said.
For months, Walton reached out to city agencies and was eventually connected with Rebuilding Together, a nonprofit that helps low-income homeowners with safety and livability repairs at no cost. On Sunday, a team of volunteers came to work on her home.
“Someone facing tragedy or misfortune, it’s a small price to pay for just one day. It’s something we should be doing every day. It feels great to give back,” said Sandie Luft, a volunteer.
Rebuilding Together has repaired over 1,700 homes so far. Walton encourages others in similar situations to seek help without feeling ashamed.
“These people are donating their time. I mean, you don’t get any better than that,” Walton said.