Family needs help cleaning veteran father's 'hoarded house' in Detroit
Veteran's Detroit home in 'disarray' after being unable to clean it
In Detroit, a disabled veteran has been facing difficulties maintaining his home, leading to extensive clutter, according to his family. His daughters began cleaning the residence, however, the mess is overwhelming. They are now seeking any services that will aid in fixing the veteran's home.
DETROIT (FOX 2) - A veteran's family is in distress trying to clean their father's extremely cluttered and damaged home on Detroit's west side.
Markita Ridley says she flew in from Florida to help clean her father’s house on W. Philadelphia Street after finding out about the horrific conditions he’s been living in.
"It has mold in there. We just took the refrigerator and stove out. That has mold inside it," Ridley said. "The ceiling is falling. In the kitchen, half the ceiling is gone. Water leak damage is all on the walls. The carpet has not been cleaned in 20 years."
Her father, 83-year-old retired Sergeant First Class Henry Whitfield, served his country in Vietnam. According to his family, he has been at a rehabilitation center since Jan. 2024, and when he was discharged recently, he came back to a "hoarded house."
(Markita Ridley )
"The house is in disarray," Ridley said. "It’s been like that because he’s bedridden, so he’s not able to walk. He’s a 38-year Vietnam vet, and he just couldn’t do anything by himself. And with his roommate, she couldn’t do too much."
Whitfield's daughters and extended family donned hazmat gear and masks to do the dirty job on Wednesday, unsure of how it all got to this point.
Markita Ridley
"We only touched two rooms and there’s three bedrooms, a living room, dining room, kitchen," Ridley said. "The basement we haven’t even touched. We haven’t even touched none of the upstairs, and we’ve been here since 9 this morning."
Ridley says it’s too much for them to handle alone, and they cannot afford professional help.
"I reached out to the (Veterans Affairs)," she said. "VA, social workers, they said they can’t do something until all the mold and everything is out the house."
Whitfield's wife passed way some time ago, and he is unable to care for and feed himself, according to his family.
They hope someone can help them do something.
"He doesn’t ask for nothing. He didn’t even want this, but we know he can’t stay here. He can’t stay in this house. He will die if he stays in this house," Ridley said. "We just need help. We need some help. This is a veteran that put his life on the line for people, and he’s receiving nothing."
The family stresses they are not looking for money, they are just asking for services that will help them clean the home.