She's a survivor of domestic abuse. Now, a local mother is giving others hope. Soon, she and her children will have a brand new place to call home, and Habitat for Humanity is helping to make it possible.
Nine-year-old Jaylin always wanted a home of his own. His mother always wanted to live near a park, a safe place for her two boys to play. Some volunteers are now making their dreams come true.
"Day one was gut the place. Just tear down walls, tear out plumbing, you know, all that sort of thing," said volunteer Dave Wathen. "Today it's starting to go back together."
"No words can explain. Habitat has been a big, tremendous help," said Mercedes Fanning. "It's actually given me a little bit more character because now I have whole new outlook for construction workers. I think they should make like a thousand dollars an hour."
Fanning is putting her life back together. She applied for the house through Habitat for Humanity of Oakland County. Owning her own home has always been her dream, but the road to get there wasn't easy. She was disowned by her own family when she got pregnant at just 19, so wherever she went, her son went too.
"We would just get to class, and I would have him in the stroller, carry him. I would always hold him up on my lap and feed him and rock him."
"You can instantly tell how much this means to her. I mean, it's a nice place. It's a nice location. She's proud of her couple of boys, and there's a park right next to it," Wathen said.
For the sake of her sons, she walked away from a violent relationship.
"I knew that... was something that I couldn't go through because it was changing me as a person, and most important in my life are my kids."
Fanning is now a social worker with a bachelor's degree in criminal justice from Wayne State University. She has got a new lease on life and a new place to live it.
"I've got my house now. That's amazing, my kids playing at the park, so it's a wonderful thing. I've got a new boyfriend, and he is just remarkable."
The Fannings hope to move in by the end of the year. The goal is before the holidays so they can spend Christmas in their brand new home.
Work is done on the house a local mother and her two sons will soon call home. (Credit: WJBK)
