When This Man Entered His Neighbor’s Home, He Realized They’d Have To Burn It Down
Moving to a new town and into a new home is always an exciting experience. At least, that’s what Kevin Burns thought when he moved to California. He expected to head to the Sunshine State and enjoy the waves, as well as new friends and neighbors. However, after moving, the young man learned a hard truth of life: even the most beautiful communities have secrets they hide.
Soon after moving to his new neighborhood, Burns discovered the older woman who owned the house across from him lived in her car! Of course, he could not stop wondering why the woman did not sleep in her home, which sat just a few feet away. Soon enough, the young man would solve the mystery and expose a lot more…
Never Met His Neighbor
When Kevin Burns moved to California, he believed the house across the street was simply abandoned. However, after about a year, Burns realized that an elderly woman lived in the car parked in front of the house! Despite living right across the street, he had never introduced himself or even started a conversation with the woman. To Burns, it seems that she wanted to be left alone.
Still, Burns could not help but wonder about the woman. Other neighbors said that the woman, named Ruth, owned the house she slept in front of, but would never step foot in it. As the weeks passed, Burns began to suspect something wasn’t right, so he decided to approach her to see if she needed anything. Little did he know not only would he become her friend, but also her hero…
What’s Happening?
One morning, after an unusually cold night, Burns decided to check on Ruth as he passed by her car. When he did, Ruth was not only awake but felt up to starting a brief conversation with her young neighbor. And that’s how a wonderful little friendship began. Each day that week, Burns stopped by the car and enjoyed a small conversation with Ruth, learning a little more about the peculiar woman.
As they talked, Ruth revealed her daily routine to Burns. Each morning, she awoke, went to a local gym, and used their shower. During the day, due to her situation, she would eat almost exclusively fast food. Then Ruth fell asleep in front of her house every night. While she would not say why she slept in a car, the woman obviously felt embarrassed by the situation. Something was clearly wrong…
There Has To Be A Reason
One morning, Burns decided to take a better look at Ruth’s house. What he saw shocked him. He found many broken windows, boards, and blinds, as well as signs of mold. The home looked entirely neglected, left in total ruin. That made Burns think: did Ruth simply need some help restoring her home?
However, after realizing that even the attic had broken windows, Burns realized this had been going on for a longer time than he had first assumed. What if wildlife had taken over the home, and Ruth couldn’t bear it any longer? Before long, Burns’ would have his questions answered. And Ruth’s story would break his heart…
Crying In Her Car
The day started like any other: Kevin Burns planned on stopping by Ruth’s car on his way to work for a short chat. However, when he arrived, he found his friend crying! Even worse, when Burns tried to ask her what was wrong, Ruth would not, or could not, answer. She simply continued frantically looking for something in the many plastic bags she stored in her car. Finally, after minutes of searching, Ruth told Burns that she had lost something of great importance to her.
As she explained, the day Ruth moved into her car, she gathered up everything important to her and brought it along in plastic bags. Now, though, it seemed she had left something inside the house. Still, Ruth had no intention of ever setting foot in that place again…
“In The House”
Burns tried to ask what Ruth had lost. But, heartbroken and scared, Ruth could only say “in the house” over and over again, while pointing at her neglected home. Occasionally she could get out, “I left it in the house!” but Burns still had no idea what she was crying about.
That’s when an idea popped into Ruth’s head. “Maybe you can go inside and get it!” she said. Despite not knowing what he was looking for, Burns agreed. After all, how difficult would it be to enter a house and retrieve an item, right? The young man had no idea the colossal disaster he was walking into…
Tasked with Finding a Picture
After Burns agreed, Ruth finally revealed what she had lost: a picture of her parents. The best she could remember, she had last seen the photograph in one of the bedrooms. As Burns approached the house, he first felt confident. How many photos can one person own, right? Unfortunately, the task would turn into one of the hardest of his life!
As Kevin Burns approached the front door of the house, he started to understand more and more why Ruth had abandoned her home. The window next to the front door was cracked, and it gave him a sneak peek into what awaited him on the other side. It didn’t look good…
Up For the Challenge
Looking through the window, Burns could barely see anything due to the lack of light. However, what he saw did not look good! The home looked in total disrepair and certainly looked as though animals could have taken over. Meanwhile, a sour odor had started to creep towards him.
Having never been this close to the house before, the young man could finally see why the woman could literally not live there anymore. The rood had a massive hole in it, while pieces of the roof littered the house’s interior and even the yard! However, nothing could compare to what Burns found after stepping inside. After taking a deep breath of fresh air, he entered Ruth’s house…
It Smelled Horrible
Well, Kevin Burns tried to enter the house! But when he opened the front door, a mountain of trash came tumbling out onto the front lawn. In fact, Burns had to jump out of the way to avoid the garbage avalanche! Meanwhile, a horrible smell also poured out of the house, making the young man gag. For a moment, he thought about retreating. However, Burns could not let his friend down!
Inside, Burns confirmed his months-long belief: the home unlivable. Piles of trash lined the walls and covered the entire floor! Within moments, Burns had trouble breathing and his eyes watered. Searching for the photo now seemed like an impossible task…
Taking Time For A Neighbor
After less than five minutes in the house, Burns had to run outside to stop himself from throwing up. He walked back to Ruth and told her he would return in a few minutes to find the missing picture. However, to complete the task, Burns needed no only to call out of work for the day, but also wear gloves and a mask!
Most other people would have given up, saying they needed to head to work. But not Kevin Burns! When he promised to help, he meant it! Meanwhile, Burns also wanted to know why Ruth had left her home. One apparent reason was the filthy property. While Ruth certainly had problems, her young friend would soon learn the truth behind her behavior…
Every Room Is Worse Than The Other
Now armed with gloves and a heavy-duty mask, Burns returned to Ruth’s home. With the appropriate equipment and time, the young man took the time to inspect every room before properly searching for the photo. Sadly, Burns found each room worse than the last. The kitchen had piles of trash, rotten food, and dirty dishes in it. He could not see across some bedrooms because of the piles of garbage. Ruth had clearly not stepped foot in here in months!
Even worse, in all the filth, Burns could not find a single picture or photo album worth picking up. Where could have Ruth stored it? Then, when he finally got into the living room, Burns found his worst nightmare come to life…
Magazines and Books
By far, the living room was the worse in the entire house. Everywhere Burns looked, Ruth had piled bags of trash, piles of papers, and other strange items. Now Burns understood why she lived in her car – it was genuinely better than her home! Meanwhile, taking a look at all the books and papers here, the young man knew it would take him hours to find the photo.
Over three hours passed, and Burns could still not find the photo! During that time, he could not help but wonder how Ruth had gathered all these items and trash over the past few years! Then, after hours, Burns spotted an old box. Like some sort of treasure chest, it contained precisely what he needed…
A Memorabilia Box
In the living room, Kevin Burns found Ruth’s treasured mementos box. Inside, was not only her lost photo, but other sentimental items, like a diploma and trophy. The faded photo, meanwhile, showed his neighbor’s parents as young lovers. However, despite the beautiful image, Burns found himself drawn to an old bookcase in the living room…
Behind the old bookcase, Burns noticed a crack. Pulling the shelves aside, he saw the gaping hole in the wall was actually a doorway to a hidden room! He realized this would likely be his only chance to enter Ruth’s secret room, so he pushed the shelves to get a better look. What Burns found would shock him to his core…
Inside The Secret Room
As Burns entered the secret room, a million other questions bloomed in his mind before even seeing what it held. Were there any other hidden rooms? Did Ruth have an entirely private life she kept hidden away inside her house? There was only one way, so Burns entered the secret room.
Inside, Burns felt stunned to see the secret room was, in fact, a bedroom! After a moment, Burns had even more questions, these much darker. Had someone been held hostage in this room? Had it been Ruth. With cobwebs covering what looks like photos on the wall, Burns slowly entered the room. He felt like he had walked straight into a horror movie…
The Neglected Room
While the room was covered in dust and cobwebs, Burns found much less trash in the bedroom than the rest of the house. Unfortunately, while there was no trash, the stale air smell nearly suffocated Burns, even through his mask. Looking at the dust-covered photos, the young man had a hard time making out the people in them. Then, Burns looked up, and saw something horrifying.
On the ceiling of this strange bedroom, Burns found a thick layer of mold covering everything. It had become so thick that the paint flaked off and landed all around the floor. This was clearly dangerous for Burns’ health, even wearing a mask. He needed to get out of there – and quick!
Time to Leave the House
Even though there was more left to explore, Kevin Burns needed to get out of the house. Plus, he had found what he came in there for! After leaving the scary home, Burns also decided it was finally time to have a serious conversation with Ruth. Outside, the young man let his neighbor that her house had become a death trap. “I had no idea it had gotten so bad,” Ruth said later.
As a thank you for finding her missing photo, Ruth agreed to call a specialist and have them clean the house. However, Burns and Ruth’s story was far from being over. The worst news was yet to come, and Ruth would soon need her friend and neighbor more than ever…
The Specialist’s Opinion
Burns decided not to mention his discovery of the secret room to Ruth before the specialist arrived. After all, she had enough on her mind as it was! Sadly, only more bad news would come. The specialist told Ruth and Burns that not only was the elderly woman’s house unlivable, it was also hazardous to her neighbors!
In fact, the expert said it was the worst case of mold was the worst he had ever seen. He actually recommended demolishing the house! Ruth’s house had to go down, but not even that would go as planned. Soon enough, Ruth’s home would become a spectacle for the entire neighborhood…
The Worst They’ve Ever Seen
After seeing the house, the specialist and his crew said they could not even touch the mold. It was that dangerous! Even worse, they said that even the most advanced mold removal techniques would not stop this mold from spreading. They had to notify the fire department. Believe it or not, that’s when things with Ruth’s house went from weird to outright wild!
You see, the firefighters were called to help set the house on fire. That’s right! According to the experts, the best way to rid the neighborhood of Ruth’s home was to burn the entire thing to the ground. Meanwhile, the firefighters had the most challenging job: making sure the controlled burn did not spread!
An Empty House
Smartly, before setting Ruth’s house on fire, Burns and the cleaning crew helped remove all objects in the home that could catch fire and become hazardous. Everything had to go straight to the dump, as mold covered most of it. Sadly, Ruth could not bring anything else from the house with her. However, maybe that was for the best, given her hoarding tendencies.
On the day of the controlled burn, the firefighters went inside the house to check it one last time. Meanwhile, on the morning in question, Ruth’s reaction to the fact that her house would soon be burned down shocked everyone, even her friend Kevin Burns…
She Was Shaken
Believe it or not, even though Ruth did not want her home for many decades to disappear in a moment, she felt ready to move on finally. After all, she knew that this was her chance to shake off her hoarding habit that made her life so much worse. Meanwhile, Ruth now had a new friend, Kevin Burns, to support her every step of the way.
Just before the fire crews started the burn, Ruth said a tearful goodbye to her home. Walking away from her property for the last time, the older woman decided it was finally time to tell Burns about the hidden room.
Ruth’s Hidden Room
As Ruth told Burns, she had everything she needed in her car, including the photo he found. Then, as the fire started to engulf the house, Ruth old her neighbor about the secret bedroom he had seen. “That room was where my husband passed away. I didn’t have the heart to go in there after he was gone,” she said, tears streaming down her face.
For a moment, Burns wondered if it wasn’t too late for Ruth to have a chance to say one final goodbye. Unfortunately, that time had passed. The house had already started to burn to the ground…
The Fired Raged On
Incredibly, the firefighters had to stay by Ruth’s home for a full 24 hours in order to ensure the fire or ambers did not spread to other houses. After all, if it spread to even one home, tree, or grassy patch, they could have quite the problem on their hands! Meanwhile, Burns could not stop wondering about what Ruth would do now.
As the decades passed following her husband’s death, Ruth’s anxiety from separating from the love of her life turned into hoarding. Now, it had all been burned and thrown away. However, now free from her home and things, the elderly woman had found a way to start over…
A Fresh Start
With her memories of life spend within the walls of the house now burned to the ground, Ruth was too old to start a new life. Where would she end up? Back in the same old car? Well, Burns had a different idea in mind. You see, with the help of his friends, Ruth was sent to a nearby community where senior citizens lived and were getting the care that they needed.
The senior living community was more than happy to welcome Ruth among them. She was obviously still suffering the death of her husband, but at least, she would now have plenty of people to talk to. The social aspect of the community would help her deal with her grief.
Making New Friends
Ruth’s lifestyle got so much better after she moved out of her car. She was getting more exercise, ate better food, while also making lots of new friends. Meanwhile, Burns made sure to keep in touch with her and paid her regular visits.
Kevin Burns had no idea that his curiosity and one single gesture of kindness would ultimately change Ruth’s life forever and for better. Hadn’t he checked on Ruth that day, he would have never found the missing picture that would lead to these incredible life-changing decisions. Of course, Burns is far from the only person to find something strange in a house. One young man discovered something even more bizarre – in his own grandparent’s abandoned farmhouse!
Where You Least Expect It
Nearly two decades after his grandparents’ passing, one Reddit user, known only by his user name EvilEnglish, found out he had inherited their abandoned Tennesee farmhouse. Soon enough, you’ll discover why the user decided to keep his name confidential!
In order to sell the property, EvilEnglish needed to clear out the farmhouse. While cleaning out the old house, he expected he might find a few souvenirs from the carefree days he spent there as a child. EvilEnglish had no idea he would soon discover that his beloved grandparents had been hiding a massive secret from the entire family…
A Farmhouse in Tennessee
Reddit user EvilEnglish uploaded his incredible tale of hidden secrets in late 2017. He started by recalling the many pleasant holidays and summer afternoons he spent at his grandparents’ farmhouse in Tennessee when he was a child.
Initially, the building and surrounding land had been a working farm. In fact, the house is so old that the exact date of construction is unknown! However, by the time EvilEnglish’s grandparents purchased the house, shortly after their marriage, various owners had sold off the farmland. After buying the home, his grandparents lived in it full-time and worked hard to transform it into a welcoming home.
Escaping The Summer Heat of The South
After their wedding, EvilEnglish’s grandparents moved into the home from an apartment in the deep South. “The house was a home for my grandparents for some 20-odd years,” he wrote. “They bought this house in the late 70s or early 80s to escape the oppressive summer heat of the South.” Even though EvilEnglish didn’t specify where his grandparents moved from, it’s no doubt that Tennesse does enjoy much nicer summers than the long, hard summers of the deep South.
After turning their little farmhouse into a beautiful home, EvilEnglish’s grandparents decided to start raising a family. To them, this small farmhouse seemed like the perfect place to spend forever. It also became the ideal place for the grandparents to keep secrets from their family…
A Fresh Start
Before long, EvilEnglish’s grandparents had children and became upstanding members of their little Tennessee community. They raised their family in the home and saw no reason ever to move away from the idyllic life they had created over the years. To their friends and family, the couple always seemed perfectly happy and normal.
In time, EvilEnglish’s grandparents’ children moved away and eventually had children of their own. Meanwhile, the couple grew old together in the farmhouse. As the family continued to grow, the farmhouse became the location for holiday get-togethers and summer vacations. Almost all of EvilEnglish’s cherished memories revolve around the home. Unfortunately, nothing lasts forever…
Nothing Lasts Forever
Sadly, in 2006, EvilEnglish’s grandparents passed away. In the days after their passing, the family had no idea what they would do without them. Still, even while grieving, they found comfort in knowing that the couple had led long, happy lives. Fortunately, both of his grandparents experienced easy, painless deaths.
After his grandmother’s funeral took place, the family knew that they needed to decide what to do with the Tennessee farmhouse. None of them wanted to leave their cherished family home cold and alone. The location that had once brought them all so much happiness now brought them sadness. However, EvilEnglish and his family didn’t know what to do with the farmhouse…
Letting Go of the Memories
Eventually, the family decided that none of the couple’s relatives would move into the house. While EvilEnglish‘s father officially owned the home, neither he nor anyone else could move there, as they found it too painful. Still, they hoped one day someone from their family could live there. It sat empty until, just a few years later, EvilEnglish’s father also passed away. So the Tennessee farmhouse was passed down once again. However, this time, the Reddit user made a different choice.
“My father passed in 2009, and we’ve been working to close out his estate and traveled to the farmhouse to prepare it for sale,” EvilEnglish wrote. To prepare the farmhouse, EvilEnglish needed to clean it out thoroughly. He had no idea of the long-hidden secrets that the house contained inside its walls. Click “Next Post” below to see what they were!
No comments: