Hot Items 2005 NSSL employee helps dying man achieve his dream
While most people spend their weekends pursuing hobbies or relaxing at home with their families, Kevin Kelleher has used his free time during the past three months to help a local man dying of cancer realize his dream.
Kelleher, deputy director of the NOAA National Severe Storms Laboratory in Norman, Okla., first heard of Tom Blevins in January, when Kelleher's church men's group was contacted for help. Blevins, who had been struggling with brain cancer for more than six months, had just been told it was terminal and he only had months to live. For the past nine years, Blevins had been single-handedly building a dream retirement home for his family. Now that he was too weak to continue, his wife Linda needed help with the partially completed house.
The family had purchased all the materials needed as money had allowed, but they desperately needed help to complete the construction. Kelleher organized volunteers from his church and NSSL, and more than 35 people showed up to help on the first weekend. As the project received attention from local media, more volunteers showed up each weekend to continue the work, from sheetrock to painting, and some skilled laborers even donated their time.
"This project received tremendous community support," Kelleher said. "People seemed to want to help the minute they became aware of the situation."
In eight weeks, over 300 volunteers put in nearly 2,500 hours of work, Kelleher said.
On Easter Sunday, Blevins arrived by ambulance, and toured his completed home on a stretcher surrounded by family, friends and volunteers.
Blevins' daughter Christina Ingram called it a miracle. "This day is amazing. It's one we thought we would never see."
The most rewarding part of the project for Kelleher was getting to know Blevins and his family, along with the many volunteers.
"The project ended up being much more than a house building effort," Kelleher said. "It brought the community together in ways that could not have been imagined when it started."
4/15/2005