BLUE SPRINGS, Mo. — One Blue Springs woman got the gift of a lifetime on Saturday: free home repairs. It's thanks to a couple, who are working to a adopt a child from Asia and are involved with a national organization called Both Hands.
In one hand, there's Della Armstrong. She was her late husband's caregiver from 2007 until the day he died in 2017. They were together for 50 years.
"It was very difficult, and it was very emotional a lot of times for both of us," Armstrong said.
It was also very financially taxing.
KSHB 41 News asked her what her emotions were when she heard she was receiving the gift of home repairs. She immediately started crying, and said she was not deserving.
"I felt like, why me?" Armstrong said. "Why would they choose me?"
On the other hand, there's Sarah and Joe Mrus. They're the ones repairing Armstrong's home.
"I knew Miss Della my whole life, and after Bill passed, things have just slowly crumbled around her," Sarah Mrus said.
Armstrong has lived in her Blue Springs home for 33 years and has never done repairs like the ones she received Saturday.
"We’ve taken the retention wall down, building a new wall," Joe Mrus said. "Inside the house, three rooms are being painted, a new bathroom sink, new bathroom flooring. Building her a brand new, bigger front porch, as well."
Joe Mrus compares Both Hands to running a charity 5k. A couple adopts a widow to host a project for, raises money through sponsors for the project, and that money can help the family adopt a child. For the Mruses, the money will go toward getting their daughter, Sandra, home from the Philippines.
"And on the back end, the 5k is, you know, our widow, Miss Della, gets her house renovated," Joe Mrus said.
The Mruses decided to go through with this fundraiser after spending thousands of dollars and countless hours waiting to meet their daughter. The call giving them the green light to go get Sandra could come any day.
"That’s what it’s all about," Armstrong said. "For them to be able to adopt the child they want, and then help me in the process."
Both sides are helping each other, and going hand in hand.
"They are so grateful to me," Armstrong said. "It’s like, they have done so much for me."
The repairs are expected to take a week or two.
"It’s not about us, you know, it’s about Della and Sandra," Joe Mrus said.
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