A terminally ill Figtree man says he doesn't have enough words to thank the people who made his last wish come true.
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Fred de Boer wanted to make sure his wife of 55 years, Harriet, did not have to worry about the house after he was gone.
The bathroom was in dire need of an upgrade and the wooden verandah at the front of the house was rotten.
After the Mercury wrote about Mr de Boer's wishes in December, several people came forward offering their time and expertise to make them come true.
In the end it was Scott Burton and his construction company Rockbuild Developments who took on the job.
Rockbuild fixed up the toilet and bathroom, adding an accessible shower that will make it easier for carers to attend to Mr de Boer's needs and a luxuriously large bathtub.
They also rebuilt the verandah.
On top of all that, they installed a new kitchen, bathroom, floor coverings and paint in the unit the de Boer's son, Rodney, lived in downstairs, which was also deteriorating due to age.
Now I'm at rest because it is done and Harriet doesn't have to worry anymore.
The work was provided at no cost to the de Boers.
"It is marvellous," Mr de Boer said.
"Unbelievable, unbelievable what Scott's done."
Mrs de Boer said she was overwhelmed and "just so grateful".
"To begin with I was apprehensive... but it's turned out beautiful," she said.
Not only were the de Boers thrilled with the outcome, but Mr de Boer said his nurses were too, thanks to the wheelchair access to the shower.
"It's so easy to get in now... You just roll in and straight under the shower," he said.
Having had the work done is a big relief for Mr de Boer.
"Now I'm at rest because it is done and Harriet doesn't have to worry anymore," he said.
The work is a bright spot in what have been an especially tough few months for the family, dealing not only with Mr de Boer's illness but other hardships.
Mr Burton, the managing director of Rockbuild Developments, said the work began just after Christmas and took about two and a half months.
He said they decided to do even more work than Mr de Boer had originally hoped for because they saw that Rodney's unit was in "desperate need" of attention.
"We try and do something like this every year, and when we read Fred's story all the directors were touched, so we decided to come forward and do what we could to help," Mr Burton said.
The kind gesture is one that has left the de Boers struggling to convey the immensity of their gratitude to Mr Burton and his team.
"I don't know how much I can thank him - there are no words," Mr de Boer said.
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Natalie Croxon
Reporter at the Illawarra Mercury, mostly covering social affairs. Previously of the Bendigo Advertiser, Northern Daily Leader and Quirindi Advocate. Our Watch award winner.
Reporter at the Illawarra Mercury, mostly covering social affairs. Previously of the Bendigo Advertiser, Northern Daily Leader and Quirindi Advocate. Our Watch award winner.
