PAMPLICO, SC (WBTW) – Last March Veteran Florence County EMS Worker Tessie Odom- Smith was involved in a head on collision with an alleged DUI driver while responding to a call. She suffered serious injuries including amputation of her right leg.
The Florence County Community rallied to help her build a wheelchair accessible home. Friday, contractors broke ground and began the home building process.
Since March of last year, Tessie Odom- Smith and her family have been piecing their lives back together one step at a time.
“I have my leg but the doctors have said since day one because of all the other injuries. I’ll probably use my leg to go to church maybe out to eat… most of the time. I’ll spend in the wheelchair,” Odom- Smith said.
Family and friends fundraised for months to make sure the smith family has a wheelchair accessible home built from the ground up.
Tessie and her husband Scott say the support from the community is a blessing.
“How do you say thank you for all that…you can’t… you can say it. But that never seems like enough,” she explained.
Volunteer contractors started the ground work of clearing trees and laying the foundation for the families’ new home. Former firefighters plan to do the homes electrical and plumbing for free.
“Everybody has just been great with all of it,” she said.
The 3 bedroom 2 baths home will have lower countertops, wider doors and showers making it easier for Tessie to get around.
“You take it for granted. You don’t realize how easy you have it to be able to go in and throw a load of clothes in the wash put supper on… until you can’t do it, “She adds.
Construction was scheduled to start in October but Hurricane Matthew delayed the process now she hopes to be able to move into her new home before Mother’s Day if weather allows.
“I’m excited… really anxious about finally getting in there.”
“It’s going to be awesome for us because we never really had any plans to build a house,” she concludes.
Howe Springs Fire Chief Billy Dillon will start a Facebook page to monitor the house progress. He also plans to have another fundraiser toward the end of construction to fundraise to furnish the new home. Count on News13 to continue to follow this story.