very sad...Updated on original post

My sister has an ederly nieghbor, who has no one. She lives alon in a dilapated house. Last week my sister sent her husband over to check on her, because they hadn't seen her in awhile. My BIL saw that a water main had burst in the house, and that the woman very very sick. So he told my sister to call the 7th precient, because the woman clearly needed medical attention and the water authority to fix the pipe that burst. Unfortunatly the woman refused medical attention.

Fast forward to right now...the police just knocked on my sister' s door and told her that the woman had past away. My sister feels so bad, because she tried to get her help last week, and had she taken the help she would probably be alive.

My sister knows that the woman has a brother who sometimes comes and picks her up...but my sister doesn't know his name, nor has she seem the brother in a few months.

My brother in law brought her some food at the end of last week, and my sister is upset with the idea that the little bit of food they gave her is probably what she lived off of her last few days.




Update: The cops told my sister that the mail man called them today to check on the lady, because the mail had not been collected from her box since Monday. They also said that there is no Electric, Heat or Running Water in the house. The house was not fit for living. It was literally falling apart and very very filthy. The officer said that they never expected the inside of the house to be that bad, because the yard looked like it was taken care of. My sister told the officer that her husband cleans the old lady's yard, because it keeps animals and bugs away from my sister's property. The police told my sister that they called to have all the cats removed from the house and yard, but gave the phone # to my sister, because they usually take their time coming to the house. He also advised my sister to call the Dept of Health and have other nieghbors call to try and get the house borded up ASAP. He said that even though they will also be making these calls it speeds things along if the nieghbors also call. After hearing how horrible this woman's living condition was, my sister feels better that she is in a better place now. Its a shame that this woman was too scared to leave her home and get the help she needed and that she subjected herself to live like that. She clearly needed help, but since she had the right to refuse there was nothing anyone could do.

Message edited 3/1/2007 3:43:48 PM.

Re: very sad

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That's sad but no one is to blame. She was elderly & maybe she was ready to go. At least she had caring neighbors

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That is so sad. God bless your Sister & her DH for checking on her. I'm sure she was so thankful for them.
Now it makes you wonder what happened to the woman's Brother if he hadn't been there in mths!

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That's very sad.

It's very nice to know that there are still caring and considerate people out there like your sister and BIL. What they did probably meant the world to that woman.

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take comfort in the fact that at least before she passed, she knew someone out there cared enough to try and help her

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That is sad but it isn't your sisters fault. They tried to help her and I am sure the woman was grateful for that.

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I'm soo sorry Danielle Your sister is a good egg for caring

There is this little old lady I drove home from the library one day that I can't seem to get out of my mind. I know she lives in Patchogue and I know what building, but I don't know her name. She was soo frail looking and she looked like she needed a friend. It breaks my heart that I didn't give her my # or something

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So sad. Regarless of how this ended - that woman knew that someone cared about her. Hopefully your sister can take comfort in knowing that this woman was shown true kindess at the end. She left knowing that someone really did care.

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awww..that is very sad.

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Awww....your sister and her husband were so great to help.

She probably just wanted to pass on. She's now at peace.

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That is very sad. At least your family cared enough to try and help.

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Re: very sad...Updated on original post

Bumped....for update

Re: very sad...Updated on original post

so sad-

it happens too offten to older people- it breaks my heart

Re: very sad...Updated on original post

That is so sad. Old people break my heart.

Re: very sad...Updated on original post

OMG, so sad....we had a neighbor like that, had family but they never came. They found him dead in his house after a month. Nobody should have to live their last days like that