For three months Lydia Otero had been heating hot water to wash her hair and bathe. Most times, it took her hours just to wash her hair. Referred to us by a Wellspan social worker, Lydia applied for support and when our evaluation committee heard of her broken hot water heater, Vickies Angel Foundation was determined to set things right.

Lydia has colon cancer. She went through chemotherapy and radiation late last year. In February she discovered her hot water heater needed to be replaced and the cost was more than she could afford. With no other options, she began to heat water for daily hygiene. This process would be difficult for anyone recovering from surgery and cancer treatment but for Lydia, she had the added stress of a colostomy bag and lacked the ease of a shower.

Enter Chad Baker Drain Cleaning Plumbing and HVAC. Chad and co-owner Dave Chibnik were hired by Vickies Angel Foundation to do the job and they took it one step further. They found a sponsor for the entire job! Lydia’s response, “Angels on Earth!”

As the repairs began, Chad and Dave quickly learned that the old water heater had been improperly installed. In their estimation, the home was days away from a devastating fire.

Lydia woke the morning after the installation was complete and went straight to the kitchen to heat water to wash her hair. Relief washed over her as she realized it hadn’t been a dream.