Latest news with #familystruggles
Yahoo
24-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Lewisham nan lived in home ‘with no heating or hot water' before dying
A Lewisham family is fighting to keep their home following the death of their matriarch nan, who lived there for nearly 40 years. Lou Abbott moved into her Lewisham home in the late 1980s and lived there until her death in 2025. Lou Abbott (Image: Shannon Abbott) At the time of her death, the property was in poor condition, with unresolved heating and safety issues. Lou's granddaughter, Shannon Abbott, told the News Shopper: 'Lewisham Council's contractor came to the home to do a standard gas safety check. 'The man was in and out in about 10 minutes, but we didn't know if that's how long a gas safety check usually takes. 'The next morning, the carbon monoxide alarm went off.' Contractors returned promptly after the alarm went off to cap the gas and provide temporary heating solutions, including a hot plate and electric heaters. However, the family was informed that it would take eight days for a full repair of the boiler to be completed. Lou suffered from with COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) and was therefore on the priority list. Shannon, 20, added: 'When the repair workers came, they told us the boiler was over 20-years-old and couldn't be replaced there and then. 'So that prolonged the whole situation, leaving my nan without hot water and heating.' Rubble inside the boiler prevented it from working, causing further delays. Soon after, Lou was hospitalised. Shannon explained: 'My nan was taken to hospital due to health complications. 'We are not trying to say that the council caused her death, as she did have secondary breast cancer. 'However, we do believe that it definitely contributed to it, because she already had poor health as it is. 'Living in that condition was only going to make it worse, and the last moments she spent in the house, she was greeted with unfair treatment from Lewisham Council.' Lou passed away on February 14, at the age of 73. The boiler at Lou's property remained unfixed until weeks after she had passed. Now, Lewisham Council is reviewing whether to reclaim the tenancy under their Succession Policy. She said: 'Nan was the sole tenant on record, even though my uncle is living down there. 'They are trying to say that nobody is entitled to live there and they won't rehome the people that currently live there because they're not priority.' The Abbott family have been going back-and-forth with Lewisham Council since February and as of June 19, no final decision has been made. Kelly, Lou's daughter and Shannon's mum, continues to appeal the decision, though Shannon says Lewisham Council us 'very reluctant to take accountability for the negligence' as Lou was a vulnerable person. To push for change, Shannon started a petition to help her family keep the home. Shannon described her grandmother as a loving mother of 12 and family matriarch who was unbothered by housing several relatives. Lou Abbott and her husband (Image: Shannon Abbott) Shannon and her husband cherished their garden, spending countless summer days hosting family barbecues and celebrations beneath the open sky. She often took her grandchildren and great-grandchildren outside to pick apples from her beloved tree, tidy up the garden, and plant flowers together. (Image: Shannon Abbott) Shannon emphasised that the family is deeply committed to keeping the home, which holds far more meaning than just bricks and mortar. She said how fulfilling her grandmother's last wish to keep the property is their driving motivation, and the family is fighting hard to make that happen. The News Shopper asked Lewisham Council, who admitted delays and shortcomings in their service to Lou but denied responsibility for her death or the family's tenancy dispute. A spokesperson for Lewisham Council said: 'We extend our deepest condolences to the family and appreciate that dealing with Council bureaucracy at such a time is an added burden. 'However, we are legally bound to follow our Succession Policy when deciding if a tenancy can be passed on to a member of a tenant's family. 'It is a question of fairness for all tenants and making sure housing is available for those who are in most need in the borough. 'Although we denied the application we received, we have been asked to review this decision and are waiting on new information to enable us to do so. 'We are extremely sorry for the delay in replacing Mrs Abbott's boiler in the period before she was admitted to hospital. 'The family made a formal complaint to us which prompted a full investigation, the details of which we have provided to them. 'Our service was not to the standard our residents should expect, especially given Mrs Abbott's vulnerable condition, and there were certainly opportunities missed to complete the works sooner. 'Mrs Abbott was provided with alternative heating and cooking options, and vouchers to help with costs, but we accept that these were inadequate, and we were not responsive enough to the family's concerns.'
CBS News
24-06-2025
- Politics
- CBS News
Family stranded in Israel at start of conflict with Iran is relieved to be back in Chicago
Americans have been caught in the chaos of escalating tensions between Israel and Iran. CBS News Chicago introduced you to one Chicago family's fight to return home from Israel last week. They have now made it back, but they said their emotional and financial toll is still not over. At this time last week, Rachel Albert was stranded in southern Israel along with her husband, her two sons — ages 13 and 15 — and her 80-year-old mother. In an ever-evolving situation, she was ready to spare no expense for safety. But her story is just one way the conflict between Iran and Israel is reaching far beyond the battlefield — to Chicago. "I don't think we realized how much we weren't sleeping, and just how intense everything was until we got home," said Albert. One week ago, Albert's family was filming missiles in the night sky in Israel. They had expected to fill their phones with photos from her son's bar mitzvah trip to Israel, but that celebration gave way to a stressful, chaotic return. The family later crossed from southern Israel into Jordan, found five seats on a chartered plane to Paris, and then finally flew to O'Hare International Airport, arriving back in Chicago late this past Friday. In all, this amounted to more than 40 hours of travel time and tens of thousands of dollars in travel expenses. "You know, money at that point in time, it was like monopoly money," said Albert. "I have over $150,000 right now of just commercial flights that I had booked." Albert said there were few options. "We probably filled out about 30 forms," she said. "I got a lot of emails. I filled out a lot of forms. We were directed to a lot of websites. They all had sort of the same updates." Albert had even fewer answers from the U.S. State Department. "We just, we were frustrated with the lack of options that the government was providing to us," she said, "especially as we were in the Jordanian airport, and there were some European constituents whose embassies had sent planes." On Monday, President Trump announced that Israel and Iran had agreed on a "Complete and Total" ceasefire, a move he said would end a more than weeklong conflict between the two countries. The ceasefire would start in about six hours, and after 12 hours, the "War will be considered, ENDED," Mr. Trump wrote on Truth Social, indicating that the ceasefire would begin at midnight ET. There has been no official word yet from Israel or Iran on a ceasefire. The terms of the apparent ceasefire aren't clear. A senior White House official told CBS News both sides had agreed to a ceasefire, with Israel agreeing as long as there are no further Iranian strikes. The conflict between Israel and Iran began June 13 with Israel launching airstrikes against Iranian nuclear and military targets. The strikes — which killed several top Iranian military officials — prompted Iranian counterattacks on Israel. The U.S. took military action against Iran over the weekend, striking three sites that are believed to be key to Iran's nuclear program. The move sparked fears of a wider war, but Iran's response on Monday was fairly limited. Iran fired more than a dozen missiles at a U.S. base in Qatar, most of which were intercepted, and no injuries were reported, U.S. and Qatari officials said. Multiple people associated with Northwestern University's Doha, Qatar campus had to shelter in place for hours. Texts from Northwestern University in Qatar started hours before the missiles began firing, alerting students to go to their homes. "It was very strong, very strong," said student Yamna Abdi Jama. "It felt very — everything was shaking. The windows were shaking, and the noise just kept coming." Meanwhile in Chicago on Monday, protesters held a rally in Federal Plaza against U.S. and Israeli actions in Iran, and then marched through downtown streets just after President Trump announced the ceasefire agreement. But all this came well after Albert's self-evacuation. "This has been a plan for a long time, you know, with our president and with Prime Minister Netanyahu," Albert said, "and I just wish that they would have thought one step ahead about the people on the ground, the citizens on the ground who would have been impacted." Albert said some, but not all, of the airlines she dealt with confirmed that the money she spent on their flights will be returned, since the airlines canceled those flights during travel restrictions. , and contributed to this report.
Yahoo
23-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Mom of 8 with Stage 3 Breast Cancer Breaks Down in Tears After Unexpected Call From School Nurse (Exclusive)
Misty De La Cruz is a mother of eight who is battling an aggressive form of breast cancer Since her diagnosis in 2024, the 43-year-old has been open about her health struggles with her family, and especially with her children De La Cruz was heartbroken after she received an unexpected call from the elementary school nurse regarding her younger sonMisty De La Cruz was diagnosed with stage 3 triple-negative breast cancer in September 2024 after discovering a lump during one of her monthly self-exams. In May 2025, the Maryland-based mother of eight received an unexpected call from her son's elementary school. Over the phone, a nurse explained that the 10-year-old was frequently exhausted during school hours, telling the staff he's afraid to fall asleep most nights in fear that his mom might pass away overnight. De La Cruz filmed her emotional reaction to the heartbreaking phone call on TikTok, amassing over 3 million views. De La Cruz, who is battling the side effects of treatment while trying to maintain a stable family, says the emotional toll cancer takes extends far beyond the physical. For her, it's not just about surviving, it's about holding together a household deeply affected by fear and uncertainty. 'As a parent you try to be strong for your children, but they watch you slowly change into someone completely different,' De La Cruz tells PEOPLE exclusively. After her diagnosis, the 43-year-old sat down with her older children and was honest about what she was facing. It took a bit more time to have that conversation with her younger son. When she finally did, De La Cruz spoke with him one-on-one, gently explaining what cancer is and how it would impact both her health and their daily lives. 'He was crying, and the only thing he asked was if I was going to die,' she recalls. 'I tried to reassure him that the doctors were going to do the best that they could do to make sure that that didn't happen. But ultimately, there is never a promise from anyone, but I was gonna fight as hard as I could.' As months pass by, De La Cruz can no longer manage simple tasks she once took for granted. For example, standing in the kitchen to cook meals for her family is now a struggle. Chemotherapy has taken a serious toll on her body, and she often has negative reactions to the treatment and feels the side effects almost immediately. 'You lose all sense of humility or embarrassment because there are days when you can't even wash yourself and need assistance,' she explains. 'The debilitating pain from the neuropathy makes it impossible to even stand up at times. The bone and muscle pain from the injections made me need to use a walker at 42 years old because I couldn't even stand up on my own.' Working to cover basic expenses is also difficult, but even more heartbreaking is not being able to take care of her younger children when they're sick. She also has to miss her kids' activities because her weak immune system makes even a minor illness potentially life-threatening. 'You just feel helpless and useless and a burden all at the same time,' she candidly tells PEOPLE. While her children's schools were informed early on about her illness and have offered unwavering support, receiving a call from the elementary school nurse left her in tears. "It's one of those calls no parent wants to receive,' De La Cruz says. 'The feeling is gut-wrenching. It's almost like someone knocked the wind out of you, and you really don't know how to react to it. All I could do was cry.' When her son got home from school, she made sure they talked and decided that therapy was the best route for him. 'I allow my son to ask all of the questions he wants to ask, and I answer them honestly. I don't believe in tiptoeing around something or masking what the situation really is,' she reveals. 'We've had open discussions about my chances of survival as well as how it's going to change our lives on a daily basis.' Yet, no matter how sensitively she approaches the topic, De La Cruz still senses that her children worry about losing her. 'It doesn't take away the fear and a child's eyes as they watch the person who's always been the strongest in the household become the weakest,' she admits. De La Cruz has told each of her children that if they ever felt the need to talk to a professional, she would gladly arrange it. When it comes to creating small moments of normalcy around the house, De La Cruz says sticking to a routine helps a lot. 'No matter how sick I am, every Sunday our family has a Sunday dinner,' she reveals. 'Usually, I'm the one to do all the cooking, but we've had to improvise.' She's had to rely on her children more than ever, especially in the kitchen, as she can no longer stand for more than a few minutes at a time. Nevertheless, cooking together brings them joy. What she's learned through cancer is this: be honest with your children. Let them feel what they feel— anger, sadness, confusion. 'Everyone grieves differently,' she says, 'and this is a grieving process. You won't be the person you were before cancer.' Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. One of the hardest but most important lessons was learning to accept help. As someone deeply independent, leaning on others felt unnatural at first. But she came to understand that "it doesn't mean you're weak… It just means you're human – and even the strongest humans need help.' She wants others to know that the financial toll is real and often hidden. 'A lot of people fail to understand that just because you physically survive cancer, it doesn't mean that you emotionally mentally or financially survive it,' she emphasizes. 'I had to create a GoFundMe to attempt to not lose our home due to the unbelievable cost of trying to survive.' Her advice to others facing this journey is to speak openly, accept support, and don't be ashamed to ask for help. Survival isn't just about your body – it's about your whole life. And healing takes time. Read the original article on People
CBS News
19-06-2025
- Business
- CBS News
For some Californians, high transportation costs put owning a car out of reach
Los Angeles — Getting to work is work for Franchescoli Andrade, who rides his bike, hops on a train and then takes a bus every day. His 20-mile journey from South Los Angeles to the San Fernando Valley takes about 90 minutes each way. "Half an hour just to get to downtown, to get to the train station, then another half-an-hour just to get from the train station to get here, and then the bus will take me straight to my job," Andrade told CBS News. "I would do this journey every day just to get my family through." His journey was easier when he had a car. But following a crash, fixing it just cost too much for Andrade, who is the sole provider for his family. "It's almost like a struggle, every paycheck," Andrade said. To cut down on daycare costs, his wife stays at home with their young son. "It's heart wrenching, you know," Andrade said. "Because it makes me feel like I'm not enough, you know, as a human. Like, I'm not really doing much." Andrade's family's struggles mirror that of millions in California. According to a study released earlier this year from the nonprofit United Way, 35% of California households — or about 3.8 million households — do not make enough to afford basic costs of living, such as rent, groceries and gas. United Way CEO Pete Manzo says the study is just a snapshot of a national problem. "It's a crisis we've been living with," Manzo told CBS News. "It's like we're running a high fever. We have too many households where people are working hard and they can't earn a decent standard of living." One of the biggest challenges is access to transportation. AAA says the cost of owning a new car — including monthly payments, insurance, maintenance and fuel — runs more than $12,000 per year for the average American household. "You're basically saying to a family, it's going to be a $1,000 a month or more to get to and from work, to get to and from school," Manzo said. "It's not cheap." The costs may not be as high in some other states as in California. But nationwide, taking into account inflation, the financial burden of transportation is steadily rising, along with housing and childcare, United Way analysis has found. Manzo says that advising families in California to move somewhere more affordable isn't necessarily a practical solution. "For one family, that might be a decent idea," Manzo said. "But it's pretty disruptive to just pick up and leave all your other family relationships and all your community ties to move somewhere to make it them all to move somewhere cheaper just doesn't make sense." For now, Andrade is saving up to afford a car for his family. "They tell me, you know, don't give up, you got this."
Daily Mail
01-06-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE How 'the worst builder in Britain' demolished a family's £500k home after they refused to pay his bill in a bitter war lasting four years
The summer of 2021 should have been a fresh start for the Kurji family - a new beginning in their freshly renovated dream Leicester home. Instead, it was the start of four years of hell that saw them living in a cramped bungalow and drowning under mountainous debts. Because, what the young family didn't know when they jetted off for a rare holiday that year was they'd return to find this dream in ashes and that depending on who you ask, they were entirely to blame. It all started with an argument. Mr Kurji claims he fell out with his workman - who he has never named- after refusing to pay him an additional £3,500 because he was unhappy with the standard of his work. These sorts of dispute aren't uncommon in the building world, but what happened next certainly is. The row escalated and the builder tore off the roof of his dream home while Mr Kurji was on holiday, leaving behind an interminable construction zone that infuriated neighbours and almost bankrupted the family. After it was bulldozed, horrified neighbours called the family to tell him that the roof had been removed and the plot had been left scattered with building rubble. For four years, the house was uninhabitable. In the interim, the young family were squeezed into a modest bungalow belonging to the paternal parents while the £500,000 home in Guilford Road, on the outskirts of the Midlands city, was once again being rebuilt. Now finally, they say they have been able to move in, and are trying to put their encounter with the 'worst builder in Britain' behind them for good. A source close to the family has told how they lost 'tens of thousands of pounds' but are now re-building their lives after their shocking ordeal. As they are now settling into their 'forever home' in a leafy street in Stoneygate, a desirable suburb of Leicester, Mrs Kurji told a friend: 'The whole episode made us very angry and upset, but it is life, and it has to move on, and we're enjoying living in the house and having so much space.' The family had been forced to live for several years, squeezed into a modest bungalow belonging to the paternal parents while the £500,000 home in Guilford Road, on the outskirts of the Midlands city, was once again being rebuilt. The pal, speaking for the first time on the family's behalf, said: 'The house was destroyed in May 2021 and it took ages to rebuild after the owners, not surprisingly had a mistrust of builders and trades people. 'But they found a reliable and competent team and their home was completed in January 2024, and they were thrilled to move in. 'It has seven bedrooms and is open plan downstairs with marble-effect porcelain tiles and underfloor heating, and a beautiful kitchen and garden. 'It is a stunning property and they finally have their forever home. They love it and enjoy living there. It is their happy place.' The friend told MailOnline how tax adviser Mrs Kurji, 38, and her 44-year-old husband were 'unfairly' blamed by some locals residents for leaving the property inhabitable and 'a pile of rubble' for so long. They said: 'Mrs Kurji was particularly upset that a couple of neighbours blamed them for the house being knocked down and not being re-built for over two years. 'Then when it was re-constructed some complained, saying it was not in keeping with the street, it was too white, and made it look bad. 'But she insisted it was the family's personal choice and feel they shouldn't be judged.' The Asian family - including a nine-year-old son and daughter, aged six, and two grandparents - had expected to move in at the end of 2021. Some of the neighbours blame the family for leaving an unsightly pile of rubble for so long. And since the re-build they have mixed feelings on the controversial property, with one saying: 'It is a monstrosity and looks out of place in a street full of mainly red brick Edwardian houses.' A man living opposite, who declined to be named, said of the large white washed three-storey building with pitched grey roof and matching plastic window frames, said: 'A modern house should not have a place like this in the street but would fit well on a new build estate.' He said there had, surprisingly, not been one single objections to the plans submitted to Leicester City Council. The resident of 22 years told MailOnline: 'I saw the plans and wanted to object but was told not to make nay negative comments by my wife who wanted to keep the peace.' Another said: 'It looks different and sticks out like a sore thumb. But it is their choice and shouldn't judge their style. 'We're more concerned about the road here because drivers are using it as a rat run from London Road, racing along a residential road. 'The council fail to do anything, and sadly, it may take a death before they do, and need to introduce a traffic calming scene,.' The Kurji source, revealing the family's nightmare, told how they were granted planning approval to a 1920's standard detached house, which had been owned y a widowed pensioner and was very dated, into a modern six-seven bedroom house with an extension and loft concession. They got on board an English builder called Thomas (no surname), who was self trading, and had been recommended by several previous customers and friends, and they had viewed the work done. But while the family was on holiday in Wales there was a dispute over payment between the family and builder, who had been left working during their absence. The friend said: 'The builder had been paid an initial sum agreed when a dispute followed. 'The house had three outer walls and no back wall facing the garden, which was waiting for bifold doors to be installed, and no roof. 'While the family was away, the builder was due to be constructing the triangular roof. 'They had already paid him lots of money, tens of thousands of pounds, but it was agreed that he had to do X, Y and Z before the next payment instalment was made. 'While they were on holiday the builder kept calling the Mr Kurjo saying 'Pay me, pay me!' but he was told the agreed works needed to be completed first. 'The next thing a neighbour rang Jay to say the three standing walls and roof structure had been bulldozed and totally demolished. 'The family was very angry and upset but the builder did a runner and they have never heard from him since. He just ran away. The source continued: 'They were devastated when they saw the house, and have since had to live in a bungalow while they had to re-do everything they had already paid for. 'They got new builders in, which initially they had been wary about doing, but the owner's father-in-law stayed there every hour to oversee, like a hawk, all th worked being done. 'He is the major reason the house was completes, he put in immense hours and watched them morning and night. 'He had to keep his eye in them because they were concerned about the actions of the previous builder. 'The couple have a big mortgage on the property and they have lost tens of thousands of pounds. 'They have since heard on the grapevine that the builder, who was never investigated by police over his action, had an intention to exit the project half way through and take the money, 'It appears the job was too big for him and his sub contractors, and there was a lot of lying. 'But they are having to put al this behind them and not dwell on it. 'They enjoy living in the house, they love it, and the children, who were very young at the the time have seen the journey of the house. 'They kept the design very simple and modern, but it has lots of space inside. It is there forever home. 'They say their neighbours, despite a few objecting ones, are really nice and they all look out for each other and have a community WhatsApp page. 'All they want now is for the council to introduce some traffic calming measures to stop traffic speeding along the street.' Mr Kurji previously admitted that he and the builder had fallen out over a £3,500 bill. Speaking in April 2021, he told how he had bought the house the previous year for £475,000. He said: 'The builder started in February and we wanted lots of work done so it could become our family home for six of us. 'We wanted a two-storey extension, a new roof, new wiring and for it to be more environmentally friendly. It's a nightmare. 'Unfortunately I picked the worst builder in Britain.'
