It took a series of serendipitous events to unfold in order for this good news story to happen. A family was forced to give up their home. Neighbours in their Nova Scotia community stepped up when
It all started when Alvero Wiggins was diagnosed with kidney failure. The husband and father of three went from working full time to spending nine hours a day on dialysis. Dialysis meant quitting his job. Quitting his job meant moving into public housing. Without Wiggin’s income, there was no way the family could afford their home.
Unbeknownst to the Wiggins family, that was when the ball got rolling for acts of kindness to find their way back to Alvero, his wife Chelcie, and their kids Alaya, Javier, and Jaden.
Wiggins was active in his community, spending his time and resources helping youth at organizations like Hope Blooms and LOVE Nova Scotia.
Sarah MacLaren had worked beside Wiggins for years, witnessing the selfless contributions that he made to the young people of his neighbourhood. She wanted to help. Setting up a GoFundMe campaign with the hope of raising enough money to purchase a permenant home for the family. But with the current housing prices skyrocketing, the fund could not raise nearly enough, even though over $45,000 had generously donated.
Cue real estate agent Brenda MacKenzie who heads A Home for Everyone, a local real estate initiative that sees contribution agents donating a portion of their commission to helping families in need of a home.
MacKenzie who happens to be on dialysis herself, felt the need to help. She championed to have the Wiggins family be the recipient of this years commission earnings. Still, finding the perfect home at the right price, was proving to be a challenge.
Of course, fate stepped in once again. One of MacKenzie’s listings—a beautiful four-bedroom townhouse, close to a park and swimming pool—had received multiple offers, all of them falling through. A win-win situation presented itself and MaKenzie put in an offer. It was accepted. The Wiggins family had a home.
“It will mean everything, it will be a sense of security to live here, to have a home, to have a place to call home. My kids love it here. It will be so joyful for them,” Wiggins told CBC. “I don’t even know how to find the words to thank everybody who has supported this dream.”
Read the full story at CBC.
