From Business Insider · Lauren Crosby Medlicott · · 2m
The noise upstairs changed everything
A woman annoyed by her neighbor's noise discovered she had Parkinson's. Months later, she'd raised $80,000 for her care.
In brief
A woman annoyed by her neighbor's noise discovered she had Parkinson's. Months later, she'd raised $80,000 for her care. Heidi Widmer moved to Los Angeles and was disturbed by her upstairs neighbor's noise, but after learning the neighbor had Parkinson's, she became her caregiver and helped raise eighty thousand…
A loud neighbor at 2 a.m.
Heidi Widmer moved to an apartment in Los Angeles in July after a six-day drive from New York. At two a.m. on her first night, loud noise from the apartment upstairs kept her awake.
She held her tongue
The noise sounded like someone bowling. Widmer was tempted to shout for quiet but held back, not wanting to be difficult as the new neighbor. The noise continued without stopping.
Meeting Carole
Two weeks later, Widmer saw her neighbor for the first time coming down the stairs.The woman, Carole, was shaking badly from what was clearly Parkinson's and carrying bags of recycling.
“Oh my gosh, thank you. Did you just move in? Am I too loud for you?”
The noise explained
Carole asked if she was too loud. Widmer learned the sound had been Carole rolling a three-wheeled broken chair across her floor to reach her mini fridge, which social services had given her when her…
Widmer began helping
Two days after meeting, Widmer knocked on Carole's door.She found the conditions inside weren't great.Although Carole can live independently, she needs help but doesn't like accepting it, especially from social services.
Help with daily tasks
Over weeks and months, Widmer helped with trash, cooking, cleaning, and contacting the landlord to repair items.Carole had been eating only microwave meals.
Eighty thousand dollars raised
Widmer and Carole set up a GoFundMe, which has raised about eighty thousand dollars.They plan to use the funds to install a stair lift for Carole.
Family for each other
Widmer moved to Los Angeles with hardly any connections.Carole's family is either no longer living or back in the UK, where she moved in her twenties as an au pair.
Kindness over judgment
Widmer says that when she has a hard day teaching at a local middle school, Carole gives her a big hug.She's been Widmer's safe space, and Widmer has been hers.
Here's the gist
Heidi Widmer moved to Los Angeles and was disturbed by her upstairs neighbor's noise, but after learning the neighbor had Parkinson's, she became her caregiver and helped raise eighty thousand dollars for her care.
