David Murray, 60, wants to stay in his Pennsylvania home. (GoFundMe)
A Pennsylvania man with a physical disability who has lived alone for the last four years is fighting to keep his independence and his home—with a little help from his community.
David Murray, who was diagnosed with a rare form of muscular dystrophy known as dystol myopathy at age 22, has been struggling to keep up with the expenses of maintaining his handicapped-accessible home in Flourtown, Pennsylvania.
“My house use to be filled with people all the time and now it’s just silent. And it gets to me and I’m thinking I don’t know what to do with that,” Murray, 60, told Fox 29. “When she (my neighbor) gets the people together and they come, it’s like they open up their arms and you can just dive in.”
In addition, Murray has been dealing with the death of his younger sister, who had the same form of muscular dystrophy, in 2014.
The small community in southeastern Pennsylvania, with a population of just over 4,600, has reportedly come to Murray’s aid in the past, as well, including a fundraiser in 1999 that took in $50,000.
The home that Murray has lived in for many years is seen above. (GoFundMe)
Those funds allowed Murray to remain inside his home—which his mother Catherine had built for him and his sister in 1987—and be somewhat independent.
However, now that the house needs more repairs, including a new roof, his friend Patricia Sivel and others have set up a GoFundMe account that has raised $8,000 out of a $50,000 goal. The money will go directly to a fund to assist Murray with his expenses.
According to the GoFundMe page, Murray will be forced to move into a home-care facility if he can’t maintain his current residence.
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