30 years after freak accident changed their lives, Whitehall family looks for help

A family in Whitehall says nearly 30 years after a freak accident changed their lives forever, they are looking for help.

They said their home's crumbling foundation and water damage are threatening the one handicapped accessible entrance and exit. They hope that by sharing their story, someone with expertise will reach out and connect them with the right resources. 

A call for help

Candice Reed said she's calling everyone, asking for help. She lives in Whitehall with her father, 63-year-old John Reed.

"Can you offer some guidance on where we go from here, because I just don't think that it's fair?" Candice Reed said.

She said the home's foundation is crumbling and no one will help. John Reed said water is causing all the problems. 

"It was all just slanted the wrong way," he said. "Everything is just coming back."

He said the water damage and structural issues threaten the way he enters and exits his home: from the side porch over the garage that is now blocked off for safety. 

John Reed is in a wheelchair after a freak accident nearly 30 years ago.

"June 27, 1997, he fell and broke his back," Candice Reed said. "We still have the rope. It was a rope swing in Riverview Park. We went on a hike and me and my brother watched him. He fell 30 feet and broke his back."

Family says not looking for "handouts"

She said they're regularly told they don't qualify for assistance because of her income and the fact that she's listed on the mortgage. 

"I moved back home to do the right thing, to keep him here instead of him being in a nursing home or public housing," she said. "We're getting penalized because my income puts us over the poverty level."

They hope that by sharing their story, someone will see it and connect them to the right people. 

"We're not looking for handouts," John Reed said. "I'm not even sure what to say it: a hand up. Someone just to look at it."

Anyone with information can email investigators@kdka.com.