WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Just weeks ago, Ramona Longwell’s home was filled with uncertainty as the grandmother battled stage 4 cervical cancer while raising four grandchildren and facing the threat of eviction.
“I really didn’t have high hopes of anything to be honest. I didn’t really think much would happen,” Longwell said.
WATCH: Community steps up with donations for family
Today, that same home looks and sounds very different.
“A lot has changed, as you see someone has come and dropped off holiday presents for the kids. My daughter—she came back last night—now we’ll just go from there,” Longwell said.
Longwell’s story first came to light after an email from Darrick Dorsett, founder and CEO of God’s Loving Hands Helping the Homeless, prompted coverage highlighting the family’s struggle. At the time, Longwell was behind on rent and unsure how she would continue caring for her grandchildren while managing her illness.
“When people honestly feel you, they’re gonna show up for you,” Dorsett said. “This goes to show you when you have a real story and they show up for your cause—people will donate, people will help.”
After the story aired, the response from the community was immediate. Calls, emails and donations poured in from neighbors and strangers alike, many hoping to ease the family’s burden ahead of the holidays.
“The response from the community has been great. A lot of people reach out but they fall through, but the people who have came through—they really helped a lot,” Longwell said.
Local nonprofit organizations also answered the call, delivering toys and holiday gifts for Longwell’s grandchildren, including the Anthony T. Stafford Chapter No. 117, Order of the Eastern Star, which donated Christmas toys.
“They’re gonna have a great Christmas,” she said.
Dorsett helped coordinate a GoFundMe for the family, which raised more than $12,000 within days of the story airing — the largest amount his organization has ever collected.
“This has been overwhelming—most we’ve ever collected for the organization,” Dorsett said.
According to Dorsett, the donations are enough to keep the family’s rent paid for at least six months while Longwell waits for her Social Security benefits to come through.
For Longwell, the relief is both financial and emotional.
“I feel relieved… I’m relieved. Why? Because it was a lot of pressure, now I can rest,” she said.
She says there was a time she didn’t know how she would keep going.
“Emotionally, I was just not knowing how I was going to keep going day to day—but I made it, and I’m relieved now because I feel like so much pressure has been lifted off of me,” Longwell said.
As Christmas approaches, Longwell says the difference is something her grandchildren will feel as well.
What was once a home filled with worry is now filled with hope — a reflection, supporters say, of what can happen when a community comes together.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
