DELRAY BEACH, Fla. — A woman in Delray Beach is not letting multiple sclerosis define her. She's working with a total stranger to make a world of a difference, trying to turn her house into a home.
According to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, nearly 1 million people are living with the disease in the United States.
The disease which affects the brain and spinal cord often leads to impaired mobility.
For Marilyn, who only wanted to be identified by her first name, she spent most of her day in bed. She became paraplegic after doctors also found cancer cells in the spine.
"It's just so hard," Marilyn said. "Sometimes I just sit here and look out the window and I watch TV and I just feel like, this is just not worth it. I don't want to do this anymore."
Marilyn lives alone, heavily relying on her caretaker. Because she is bedridden, she also has not been able to shower on her own for seven years. Her wheelchair does not fit through the door frame to go into the bathroom altogether.
"I mean, I cry all the time," Marilyn said. "But you just have to realize people have it worse than this and, you know, I have to do the best I can."
But even amid her solitude, Marilyn found optimism after a construction company offered to open her door frame and remodel the bathroom so she would be able to enter the shower easily. The renovation can cost tens of thousands of dollars, but JBN Construction is doing it all for free.
"Seeing her and meeting her, we had an instant connection," Kim Nissen, owner of JBN Construction, said. "She's a remarkable woman and I just want to help improve her life and make her safe and keep her in her home."
As for Marilyn, she said she can't wait for the renovation to be complete.
"I'm going to the shower for a couple of hours," Marilyn said.
The remodel has also changed her outlook on life, helping her realize she's more than her disability.
"These nice people did such nice things for me," Marilyn said. "Now it's my turn to try harder if I can. I know I can't do a lot of stuff, but I can at least get a little bit better."
