There comes a time in our lives when we have to give up the things that matter to us the most. So when the time came that a 96-year-old grandmother had to move into a nursing home, she took much time before deciding whom she would leave her beloved house.
And though the grandmother was torn because she didn't want to leave her home behind, she knew it was inevitable. So when she finally chose an heir to her property, she left this person shocked. When the man entered the house - his puzzlement only grew. He couldn't believe what he had seen inside!
Life in Rural Alaska
As an old lady nearing her centennial years, living in Rural Alaska wasn’t the best option. Elly was beginning to feel weaker and weaker every day, and the cold was slowly starting to take its toll on her health.
She had always lived there with her family, and this was the place where she wanted to be buried as well. However, this doesn’t seem to be the case, even though she seemed like a normal and healthy old lady.
A Normal Old Lady
For someone in her late 90s, Elly was still going around town by herself. After all, she was all alone, and she needed to visit the city proper every once in a while to get the things she needed to survive.
Although, an accident would change her life forever, forcing her to make a drastic decision. She wasn’t ready, but she needed to choose an heir for her beloved house...
Elly Made a Decision
Her own children didn’t want anything to do with their mother’s house in Alaska since they lived in the mainland United States. So the process was about to get a bit more complicated than Elly hoped it to be.
Then one day, she realized that she didn’t need to leave the house for her children, but she’d leave it to the man who had tried to help her all those years she was alone. So she made her decision, but it didn’t end there.
A Suitcase on the Table
Once the homeless man received the call that he inherited Elly’s home, he was simply dumbfounded. Steven helped Elly all those years ago because he knew that she needed her help, and he was happy to have done it without anything else in return.
However, when he decided to visit the house he inherited, he found something unusual on the table with his name. His life was about to change forever.
Traveling Back in Time
We have to travel back in time to understand the story better and see where their stories started. It’s a story about love, compassion, and family – a very beautiful one at that.
Not only that, but Steven hadn’t always been homeless since he belonged to a very loving family. All of their lives had been interconnected, and they all had deep roots in Alaska.
Her Alaskan Roots
Elly wasn’t born in Alaska, unlike her husband and Steven. However, she did move into the region with her parents when she was very young. So it was the only home that she had come to know.
From the get-go, Elly knew that she loved the place and that she would have a good life there. Then on her first day of school, she met someone who was going to change her life forever.
Meeting Her Soulmate
On the first day of school, Elly was immensely nervous – she was a new girl in a new school, after all. She went to her classroom with a shy smile and greeted everyone in her sweet childish voice.
Then a little boy came forward and said to her, “Hi, I’m Peter.” This was her future husband, and they have known each other for as long as they can remember. This was the first of many memories that they were going to share.
Elly and Peter’s Life Together
From that initial meeting, Elly knew that Peter was the one she would spend the rest of her life with. They’ve shared so many memories in Alaska, and they promised each other that they were going to grow old there too.
So once they got married, they stayed true to their word and never left. Instead, they built a house with their bare hands and promised to raise their children there.
Raising Their Children Together
Elly and Peter were blessed with two daughters a few years down the line, and they had everything they wanted. They had a roof over their heads, and Peter had a job in town that provided their needs. They had their children too, and everything was great.
However, like children ought to do, their daughters grew up and decided that life in Alaska no longer suited them both. They moved to the mainland United States, which left their parents in a state of sadness...
Moving on with Life
Both of Elly and Peter’s daughters moved out of Alaska and settled in Boston and Dallas. Surely, they both missed their daughters, but they were also happy that they were trying to find their footing in life.
Not to mention that Elly and Peter no longer have the task of raising their children together – they were way past that. They simply got to enjoy what they both loved doing: living together.
A Quiet Life in Alaska
A few years after their daughters moved out, Elly and Peter were as happy as ever. Who would’ve thought that two children who have met on the first day of school would end up as satisfied as they were?
Both of them enjoyed a quiet life in Alaska, and this was their dream since they were both little. However, a small accident thwarted Elly and Peter’s happy life...
One Small Accident
On his way home from work, Peter had a bit of accident that made him bedridden for a few days. This didn’t stop Elly from caring for him, as she was prepared to do for the rest of their lives.
Peter was strong, and Elly was convinced that he would make it out of the hospital. Although, a few days after Peter had his accident, his health took a turn for the worse.
Saying Goodbye to Peter
Elly and Peter’s daughters flew back home to Alaska to say goodbye to their father for the final time. They couldn’t believe what was happening, and they were deeply concerned for their aging mother.
The days passed, and Peter’s health had continually worsened, and Elly knew that she would have to say goodbye to the love of her life. “I love you, and I’ll see you on the other side,” Elly whispered to Peter’s ears as she let him go.
Elly Was Devastated
As expected, Elly was utterly devastated on the day of Peter’s funeral. Everyone in their town attended the ceremony because the old couple was well-loved in Alaska.
Although, there was one problem that Elly’s daughter had to face. Who was going to take care of their aging mother?
She Was All Alone
After the funeral service, both daughters sat down with Elly at their dining room table. “Mom, you could live with me in Boston if you want to,” one of the daughters said. “Or you could live with me in Dallas,” the other suggested.
Elly simply took her daughters’ hands and said, “This is your father’s house, and I’m not going anywhere.” So her daughters left a few days later, and Elly was left all alone.
An Unlikely Helper
A few months after Peter died, Elly knew that she couldn’t run the house by herself – especially since there was work to be done. So she asked around town if anybody needed some extra cash and everybody pointed towards Steven’s direction.
Elly had known Steven ever since he was a little boy, and Peter had grown quite fond of him too. However, Steven’s life took a turn as he was homeless and without work when he moved back to his hometown. So he decided to help Elly with her house, but nobody expected what would happen next...
A Stronger Bond
Albeit his rugged appearance, Steven was a very smart and sweet boy. He helped Elly around the house, and he came in handy whenever some maintenance work needed to be done.
However, his work didn’t stop there because he would go with Elly for walks whenever the weather was nice. Though, he only asked for one thing in return...
Working for Free
Whenever Elly tried to pay him his dues, he would simply say, “I don’t want them. I’m only here to help.” Steven was a polite man, and he really cared for this old lady as if she was his own grandmother.
Elly felt bad because Steven had been such a great help to her, but he wouldn’t take her money. In the end, she had an idea, which Steven couldn’t say no to.
Steven’s Parents Were Furious
A few months after helping Elly, Steven’s parents asked him if he had saved enough money to move out on his own. He simply answered, “I haven’t been taking Elly’s money because I was just there to help.”
This statement made his parents furious, and they kept telling him that he was out of his mind for doing something like that for free. Maybe he was out of his mind, and he didn’t mind. That was until his parents gave him a very daring ultimatum...
Giving an Ultimatum
Steven couldn’t understand why his parents were against him helping a very fragile old lady – he felt that they didn’t have compassion. Although, he understood that they only wanted what was best for him and that he was living under their roof.
His parents told him that he should stop going to Elly’s house and move out of town to find better work. Steven didn’t know what to do, but his parents were overly insistent.
Saying Their Goodbyes
For the last time, Steven went to Elly’s house like he always did and helped her with what she needed around the house. “I have something to tell you,” Steven said while they were sitting down.
“My parents want me to move out of town, and this means I can no longer help you out,” he simply said. Elly was obviously sad, but she also wanted Steven to find his own footing in life. “Have fun, and don’t be afraid to make mistakes,” she said as she gave him a loving smile.
Steven Moved Out of Town
A few days later, Steven was moving to find a better job and create a better life for himself in the big city. His parents even gave him enough money to find a motel or an apartment that he could stay in for a few months.
This really helped Steven, and he was so glad that he took his parents’ advice and moved out. Although, he still missed Elly, and he often wondered if she was getting by on her own.
Getting By on His Own
The first few months had been tough for Steven, and he often wondered whether he knew what he was doing. However, failure was never an option for him, and he didn’t want to go back to his hometown as a loser.
He had something to prove, especially to his parents, and he also wanted to make Elly proud of what he was about to accomplish. Then, his life changed after receiving one phone call in the middle of the day...
A Very Surprising Call
Steven was taking his lunch break when his phone rang – he didn’t know who it was because the caller number wasn’t listed. “Hello? Who is this?” He simply asked the person on the other side of the phone.
The person on the phone turned out to be Elly and Peter’s lawyers, and he had very surprising news for Steven. The lawyer said that Elly left his house to Steven, but he didn’t mention if anything bad happened to the old lady or not. This caused Steven to panic.
What Happened to Elly?
Upon receiving the call from the lawyer, Steven tried to get a hold of Elly because he wanted to know if she was alright. He couldn’t get in touch with the old lady, so he called his parents instead to see whether they had learned something.
Apparently, a bad fall fractured Elly’s hips, and so her daughters came to pick her up and move. Elly would be alright, but she also decided that living alone in Alaska wasn’t the best option, especially when she had two loving daughters waiting for her to move in with them.
Inheriting Her House
Once Elly decided that she would move into a nursing home closer to her daughters, she thought about her house and all the memories she had in it. This was Peter’s house, and even though she was sad to part with it, it was the only way.
Elly decided that the heir would be Steven since he had helped her in her final days and never asked for anything in return. Although, Steven didn’t buy this whole thing because he still thought that his parents were behind this commotion.
Who Was Behind It?
A few days after getting the phone call from Elly and Peter’s lawyers, Steven was still doubtful whether he deserved the house or not. Since Elly wasn’t there anymore, Steven thought that the most logical thing to do was sell it.
So he called the lawyer again to say that he accepted the offer, but he also said that he plans on selling the house. However, there was one condition that needed to be met before any kind of offer came through...
The Only Condition
Over the phone, the lawyer said that the only condition that needed to be met before selling the house was that he came for one last visit. That was Elly’s request, and while Steven thought it was an odd request, he did it anyway.
He loved that house, and he even thought that maybe he was doing the wrong thing by selling. So he decided to take a trip back to his hometown to see the place one last time before making his decision.
A Trip Back Home
Steven wasn’t sure whether his parents knew about Elly’s decision, so he thought it best to stay away from their house. He took a trip back home to see Elly’s house for the last time before deciding whether he was going to sell it or not.
Upon seeing the house, it felt as if it was “home,” and Elly was waiting for him inside. However, what was waiting for Steven inside was much more significant than he could ever imagine.
The Suitcase
As he opened the door, a large suitcase caught his eye because it lay on top of the kitchen table. Steven approached and realized that it had his name written on it in Elly’s handwriting.
He took a deep breath as he opened the suitcase, and his jaw dropped as he realized what was inside of it. Never in a million years would he expect that Elly would leave him such a thing...
A Memorable Encounter
All those times before when Steven would help Elly, he didn’t realize that Elly saved some money for him. There were little envelopes with notes like, “for taking Elly for a walk,” or “for driving Peter to the hospital,” or “for fixing the roof.”
These envelopes were filled with cash and notes from Elly and Peter themselves. Steven broke down crying because this old couple seriously changed his life forever. He didn’t know it at the time, but he changed their lives too.
Steven Changed His Ways
Upon counting the extent of the money inside the envelopes, it accumulated to an astounding USD 15,000. Now, that’s a lot of money and especially helpful since Steven was trying to hit the ground running.
He called Elly and thanked her for everything that she had done for him. “Thank you, Elly. I can never repay you,” he said. Elly simply said, “You deserve it. You’re a kind and generous man.”
Visiting Elly One Last Time
Before Elly passed away, Steven had the chance to visit her one last time. He flew into the mainland and visited the nursing home where Elly was staying.
During their conversation, Elly realized how much she had changed this young man’s life. She could see so much potential in him, and she knew that he would be successful in life. Then Steven gave her a massive hug before he left to go back to Alaska.
A Grateful Heart
Elly died a few months after their last encounter, and Steven never sold the house he inherited either. He realized that it was a special place, so he rented it out to people he knew would take care of it as Elly and Peter did.
The money left by Elly and Peter changed Steven’s life, and he now lives with his wife in Anchorage. It goes to show that you never really know what impact you have on people, and that’s why it’s important to be compassionate and kind – like Elly, Peter, and Steven were.