Members of the community rallied together to help the Alabama woman who was shamed by her neighbor for neglecting to maintain her house after she shared it was because she is caring for her son who has cancer.
Hailing from Pinson, Alabama, Randa Ragland posted about a letter she received in a private Facebook group that took the internet by storm.
The mother of 5 says she received a note in the mail telling her that the unmaintained property was an “eyesore” and how she should “do better.”
“Your eyesore is affecting the resale value of our homes,” the note reads. “Who wants to buy a house near you and look at that daily? It does not take that much effort, all you have to do is give a s***.”
At first, Ragland said she did not want to post about the note but then decided to show “anyone and everyone” because “you never know what is going on with the next person.”
Ragland said how her “family is truly going through rough times right now” due to her son Jaxen, who has autism, was diagnosed with stage-4 Neuroblastoma back in October last year.
It happened only days before his third birthday.
Ragland shares in her post how their lives have been full of doctors visits, clinic appointments and hospital stays as her son “has literally been fighting for his life.”
“I say all of this to say. Try being kind to your neighbor or the stranger you let in when there’s traffic. Say hello to people. Just kindness. It’s crazy how things like this can truly change a person. Because just a year ago. I would [have] been so angry from this note. But I truly don’t have the energy for that kind of negativity,” she wrote. “Maybe the owner of this note might see this. And maybe not. But either way I feel this might touch someone and that is enough in itself.”
Ragland was one of many who were upset with the note.
After reading her post, dozens of folks came together to help the mother with a Facebook group called “Jaxen’s Army for Justice.” Community members have collected donations for Jaxen’s care as well as mowed her lawn.
“They started this group for my son,” Ragland shared with Yahoo Lifestyle. “It is wonderful knowing people do still care, and that not every one is self-absorbed.”
Around 30 people came to her home shortly after to help her with household chores and maintenance.
She continued that she did not know any of the people in the group prior and did not expect anything to come from her post.
“It is so awesome that it has happened,” she says. “No one should go through this alone.”