Life for the Deal family in Wadsworth hasn’t been easy. Their daughter, Jocelyn, is a beautiful and sweet girl who lives with Level 2 autism and developmental delays. Everyday life comes with challenges that few outside the autism community may fully understand. Jocelyn’s tendency to run has forced her to change schools. At home, her mom Carisma can’t let her out of sight, even for a moment, for fear Jocelyn might slip away. It’s the kind of challenge many don’t see, making even the simplest routines incredibly difficult.
But things are about to change for the better for this family after a simple GoFundMe campaign quickly turned into a powerful example of community kindness!
The GoFundMe was created by a friend of the Deal family to help them build a fenced-in yard for their daughter so she could play safely near their busy street. At first, the campaign sat at just 20-percent of its goal. But once we shared it to our Wadsworth Community Radio Facebook page, everything changed. Donations began coming in from caring neighbors, listeners and strangers — pushing the campaign to 84-percent in just a few days.
Then, something even bigger happened.
A Wadsworth resident, who works for Nichols Fence in Akron, saw the post, shared it with her employer, and it set off another chain of incredible generosity!
Over the weekend, the Deal family was surprised with the news that a brand-new 300-foot privacy fence will be installed at their home — completely free of charge! Catalyst Fence is supplying all of the materials, Home Depot is donating the concrete, and Nichols Fence is providing all of the labor.
“After hearing Jocelyn’s story, it was clear we couldn’t just sit on the sidelines. If we had the ability to make Jocelyn’s world safer, by using our resources and asking our partners to help, we knew that was what needed to happen,” explained Diennia Hall, Operations Manager of Nichols Fence. “It’s about protecting Jocelyn and giving her family peace of mind.”
The Deal family was overwhelmed with gratitude and there wasn’t a dry eye in their backyard. Now the family can use the GoFundMe money to cover their survey and permit, clean up their yard, and buy adaptive play equipment for Jocelyn.
Once the permit is complete, crews will begin building the fence and gates. In just a few weeks, life for the Deal family will look very different, giving Jocelyn and her loved ones the safety and freedom they deserve.
It’s a gift and hope made possible by kindness, a true reminder of how one small act can spark an entire community to rally together.
