Meet the Chism Family – Celebrating Steve’s Life
Cherry is a Florida native who moved into her current home in 2018, Cherry and her husband, Steve, were looking for a home that would fit their family with an adult son, Josh, and their granddaughter, Everly living with them. They found the perfect home to fit their multi-generational family, a home raised on piers connected to a small apartment sized home by a breezeway.
The home would fit their family’s needs and still provide privacy. They hired an inspection company, were given a positive report and purchased the home. Shortly after it was brought to their attention that the piers supporting the main house did not reach the foundation. Piers underneath the home were weak, worn down, and the home was having issues with splitting. The family did not feel safe walking through the home with the foundation of the structure compromised and could feel the house shifting as they moved throughout the home. Cherry said they moved through the home “holding their breath, afraid that the home would crumble from the bottom down and collapse.”
Cherry and Steve were told that the inspection company was not responsible for the lack of finding the issue and Cherry said, “It felt like an injustice.” Now, they had to figure out a way to pay for these critical home repairs and then, Steve was diagnosed with Huntington’s Disease, a genetic nerve condition that effects the brain.
Cherry said they lived in uncertainty and didn’t know how they would have made the repairs. Cherry reached out to Habitat Lake-Sumter and says it “was an answer to prayer.” After applying to the Preservation and Repair program, Cherry and Steve’s application was accepted but the Covid-19 pandemic hit and delays began, the original vendor for the repair went out of business during the pandemic, and Cherry’s project hit a standstill. However, thanks to Wells Fargo, we were able to move the project forward again.
In the midst of the project, sadly, Steve (61) passed away from complications of Huntington’s Disease in August 2021. It changed their financial standing significantly, reducing their income from 50-80% AMI to extremely low. With tears in her eyes, Cherry expressed gratitude to Wells Fargo and Habitat Lake-Sumter for helping her family during this time. “I’m so thankful to the people at Habitat. When we first moved here the address stood out to me, “Shiloh” means peace, so I knew this was the perfect fit for our family. Now, I pray let it be a place of peace and rest. It means a lot that I get to be here for my son and granddaughter too.”
With Steve’s passing, the Chism family were searching for ways to restore stability in their lives once again. Cherry, her son Josh, and his daughter, Everly now live in a home that feels safe and secure – an important step to finding peace. Cherry plans to start a garden and Josh wants to raise awareness about Huntington’s Disease – as a genetic disease the family carries anxiety about health outcomes in their future, but they feel a sense of security and tranquility in their home as they grieve, heal, and look to what the future holds for their family.
Celebrating Steve’s Life
My dad (Steve Chism) lived every day like it was his last in every sense. He lived his dreams.
He loved with all his heart, he took care of his family, he worked hard to build a business he
was proud of and he did it all knowing he could have Huntington’s disease. Never once did he
let that get him down or stop him from living in the moment. If anyone ever needed something
he was always the first to volunteer. My dad loved to help people. He was the most genuine
man I’ve ever met. He put his heart into everything he did. Steve was not an average man, he
was extraordinary. He had a work ethic like no one I’ve ever met, and he put just as much time
into being present with his family. I have the best memories with my father even though he’s
watching over us in heaven now.
Your memories will live on forever.
Until we meet again
Rest in paradise
I love you, Dad
I also wanted to thank the people at Habitat for Humanity Lake-Sumter for this opportunity to honor my father and for all the work they’ve done to help our family. We appreciate you guys and everything you do.
Sincerely,
Josh Chism