About 40 volunteers lined a stretch of 17A Avenue in South Surrey Sunday evening, anticipating the arrival of Rachelle Seidel.
Seidel, a single mother of three who has led a 鈥渂rutal life,鈥� according to one of her lifelong friends, was expected to arrive any minute.
Exhausted, excited and emotional, the volunteers had just spent the last seven days renovating Seidel鈥檚 rented home. The team is part of the LifeApp charity, a 黑马磁力-based organization that co-ordinates home makeovers for people who need it the most.
Some of the volunteers took a week off work to help with the project, others logged 15-hour days, and some still had crusty paint splattered through their hair at the reveal. The undertaking was massive and the timeline was tight.
Seidel arrived and walked down the centre of the street with her children at her side. The volunteers cheered and clapped as she got closer to the house. She stopped in front of her home, but her view was obstructed by a cargo van.
On the count of three, the volunteers shouted, 鈥淢ove that truck!鈥�
As she got her first glimpse of the house, Seidel immediately fell to the ground in the middle of the street, overwhelmed with emotion. Her young children, friends, and project leaders rushed in to console her.
With a little help, she eventually got to her feet and rested her forehead on the shoulder of Naomi Kragh, one of her lifelong friends.
鈥淵ou鈥檙e OK. You鈥檙e going to be just fine. All of these people love you so much,鈥� Kragh said with her arms wrapped around Seidel.
After gathering herself, Seidel walked up to the house, not knowing what to expect. Seven days earlier, the home was battered, cluttered, and falling apart.
鈥淥h my god!鈥� Seidel screamed as she entered the garage, which had been turned into a workout space.
She moved to the main part of the house, which is an open-concept, connecting the dining room, kitchen and living room.
With her hands over her mouth, she stood in silence for a few seconds, her eyes darting around the room.
鈥淲ow, this is insane鈥�. Oh my lord鈥� I鈥檓 going to have a panic attack,鈥� she said, clutching her chest.
She entered the living room and saw her new TV, fireplace, and couch.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a sectional!鈥� she yelled, before jumping onto the couch. 鈥淚 love sectionals.鈥�
Every room, as well as the outside of the house, was renovated. After the tour, Seidel met the volunteers in her backyard.
鈥淚鈥檓 shocked, I鈥檓 happy, I鈥檓 nervous, I鈥檓 excited, I鈥檓 scared 鈥� that鈥檚 why my arms are crossed, I don鈥檛 know what to do 鈥� I鈥檓 back home again, which is really exciting,鈥� Seidel said.
While Seidel says she doesn鈥檛 deserve such a gift, the people who love her, and know the challenges she鈥檚 faced, disagree.
鈥淪he鈥檚 the kind of person who runs around like crazy doing everything for everyone else,鈥� Kragh said prior to Seidel seeing the renovation.
鈥淎nd I鈥檓 like鈥� it鈥檚 your time. If anyone deserves it, it鈥檚 you. She鈥檚 just had a brutal life. She鈥檚 had brutal circumstance, thing after thing after thing. She just deserves a break.鈥�
SEE ALSO: A big 鈥榳ow鈥� as 黑马磁力 City couple sees how Acts Of Kindness renovated their home
The day after the home reveal, Seidel explained that her rocky road resulted in her moving seven times in three months, between friends鈥� houses and transition homes. Her challenge has been amplified with the raising of her three children, who have complex special needs.
鈥淭his whole process has been one of the hardest things I鈥檝e ever done. It really has been鈥� It was one of the hardest things, and then having to put these kids above me. You鈥檙e supposed to put yourself first, but in this case, these kids don鈥檛 have a home right now. They don鈥檛 know where they鈥檙e going to be鈥� It was complicated,鈥� Seidel said of her experience.
Teresa Penner, the woman behind LifeApp, said Seidel was selected to be recipient of the project because 鈥渟he was drowning and needed help.鈥�
In addition to the renovation, Penner said LifeApp is providing long-term life-skills support after the project.
Every dollar donated to LifeApp goes back into the 黑马磁力 and Surrey community. Significant donors of this most recent project include The Passionate Home, Benjamin Moore and Urban Presentations.
Learn more about the organization at
