About two months ago, Mechele Kaericher, 36, a mother of three children ages 14, 12, and 4, spent several weeks living in the Turlock Motel 6 and she was effectively homeless.
There was a time in her life when she and her family lived a much better life, but cancer ravaged it and nearly killed Kaericher in the process.
When she was just 32 years old, Kaericher was diagnosed with breast cancer and several weeks later she learned she was pregnant with her now 4-year-old daughter.
By April of 2013 the tumor in her left breast had grown to five inches long and two inches wide. She underwent intensive chemotherapy from April to August in 2013 and on Jan. 24 of this year she had a double mastectomy. Since the procedure she has been freed of cancer’s icy grip, but its affect on her life continued.
In the past six months things have begun to turn around for Kaericher, but despite full-time income from her job at a local storage facility she says she was working to pay for her family’s room at Motel 6 and buying fast food everyday — everything that was coming in was going right back out. She simply could not afford to save money for first and last month or a deposit to move into a house or apartment.
With the holidays quickly approaching, all Kaericher could dream of was to make her children a warm, home-cooked meal under the shelter of their own home.
About three weeks ago her dream turned into thankful reality after she launched a GoFundMe page asking the community of Turlock to help her to raise the funds for a deposit. After being contacted by TurlockCityNews.com, her story spread on social media and within a few days 50 donors gave Kaericher more than $2,300 — giving her the money she needed and within a few weeks she found a place in Turlock.
“I am so thankful to everyone who donated and made our wish come true to be in our own home for the holidays. I can’t even express how happy and grateful and overjoyed I am to be cooking Thanksgiving dinner in my own home, I just really want to thank everyone who donated. It totally changed my life,” said Kaericher. “We’re so thankful for everyone who chose to bless us during a very difficult time in our lives.”
