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Neighborhood handyman gathering people to fix up elderly man's home

water leak fixed at a Padre Island home.JPG
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CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — An elderly man is getting some much needed help to fix up his house.

"It’s like pennies from heaven," Arthur Montalvo said laughing.

Busted pipes, holes in the kitchen floor and more. 79-year-old Montalvo headed to the hardware store to begin repairs and left with some help.

"I was at Ferguson and I only had a dollar in my wallet because I was broke," Montalvo said. "And I asked these ladies can you lend me $3? At that time I thought all I needed was a “T” or an “elbow.”

He also spoke with a man who said he knows someone who can help. He called Chul Kim McGuire, the handyman who was helping neighbors during the winter storms.

"I had to come out—found time and came out to assess the property and what’s going on," said McGuire. "One thing after another—of course one leak leads to another."

For this fix up, he's enlisting more help to tackle a bigger project.

Mcguire already restored the majority of water to the house. Now he’s hoping more people will show neighborly love and come out for a weekend, to be determined, of repairs and cleanup. Several are already planning to help.

"It’s wonderful, especially when I have friends in Pennsylvania , Alaska," McGuire said. "And my childhood buddy, grew up with Herbert Wolfson, making a donation this morning and Leslie wanting to make a donation all the way from Alaska."

Montalvo doesn’t have any family in the area, but is excited all these people want to pitch in.

"I got a soft heart for wanting to help," said McGuire. "And that’s what I encourage others. You know, look around your house. If you got a house next door that doesn’t seem quite kosher, maybe there’s a reason. We all need to know each other neighbors. If we don’t know a person’s name then there’s something wrong."

If you'd like to lend a hand or make a donation you can contact McGuire on his Facebook page.