We’ve got a hurl load of help in house for Adam
Big-hearted locals muck in to build new home after family hit hard times
A-TEAM Some of the lads lending a hand
A TEAM of volunteers have come to the rescue of a young family who are in desperate need of a home for their autistic son.
The Lawrences have been forced to live in a mobile home – as they ran out of money to complete their customised house for seven-year-old Adam.
The youngster, who has sensory processing disorder, needs a room of his own which will cater for his needs.
His mother Annie said they have been overwhelmed by people’s generosity, after a Gofundme page was set up on their behalf.
The mother-of-three told the Irish Sunday Mirror: “Adam was diagnosed with autism and sensory processing disorder when he was two. It means he walks around on his tippy toes, he’s very fussy with food and he’s non-verbal. “He’s not aware of danger. Where we live is very open and he would be up on the road if not watched. If he was near a pond he would want to jump into it.” “He goes to a special needs school five days a week. I work in a nursing home and my husband Patrick is Adam’s full-time carer.” The couple currently lives in a cramped mobile home in Upperchurch, Co Tipperary, with daughters Leah, 20, Michaela, 16 and Adam. Annie said they bought a site and planned to build their home themselves – but ran out of money.
She explained: “Patrick previously helped on another project called Build for Eve for a little girl who had cancer.
“We never thought that it would come to our doorstep, that we would need the help.
“Every weekend there are just people who are helping us off their own bat, they are amazing.”
She added: “The house is security for us as it will be Adam’s forever home. It’s so nice knowing that no matter what, he will always have a roof over his head.
“We have been blown away by people’s generosity. What the lads are crying out for is building materials more than anything else.”
Builder Martin Barry said he has worked on two other projects to date and will continue to help others in need. He said: “My brother passed away from cancer in 2019 and his wife had applied for the DIY SOS show to finish off the family home.
“I was involved in helping and after the show we heard of a family in Cullen whose daughter Eve had a rare form of cancer and we helped.
“I got trades people together and since then it has snowballed.
“We are on our third project now. Everyone involved loves it and we are going to keep going with them.”
Everyone involved loves it… we’re going to keep going MARTIN BARRY, BUILDER WHO’S HELPING OUT