| Response to cleanup need life-changng for Kihei man KIHEI - Small-business operators have rallied to aid an 81-year-old Kihei man, a "very likable, sweet guy" living on Social Security and a modest pension, whose condominium was mired in garbage and filth, said Mark Hoenig, owner of a Maui property damage and restoration company. "We were actually quite surprised," Hoenig said. "Very quickly," offers began coming in to donate materials, labor and funds to aid the man. The Leis Co. donated a new water heater, garbage disposal, faucets and toilets for the unit's two bathrooms, he said. She personally worked more than 80 hours on the project, doing drywall work, replacing vanity cabinets and installing flooring in the kitchen and bathrooms. The bathtub was "horribly stained," and she scrubbed until it "looks like a regular bathtub," he said. A new carpet and padding was also to be put in place. Overall, it took about a month to undertake the project, he said. " When he was asked what it was like to take a hot shower again, the man said, "It was delicious. " Tina Hoenig put in place the ceramic tiles in the kitchen and bathrooms. and are willing to step in and turn his life around. " Hoenig said the man will need some counseling, "so he can understand how he got into that situation and avoid that in the future. D. R. Horton Builders provided vanity cabinets, paint and other materials free of charge. Other donations included a used sofa, a bed and a microwave oven. " Hoenig said the condominium association initially agreed to pay upfront for PuroClean's services and then would bill the man an interest-free amount he could pay each month through his maintenance fees. But, recently, Hoenig said PuroClean would discount its bill of approximately $5,000 and charge the man a discounted fee of $1,300, which he can pay himself. The first major cleanup effort began Jan. 25 and took two workers and Hoenig's wife, Tina, a day and a half, he said. Overall, workers filled six commercial Dumpsters with trash and other material. Hoenig said his wife became an intermediary with the condo owner. "Bags of garbage piled in the kitchen . Tina Hoenig coordinated the work and donated materials and labor, Mark Hoenig said. Stacks of mail dated back years, most of it unopened. "There was a thick network of spider webs hanging in decline from the ceiling," said Hoenig, who stands 6-foot-1 and needed to stoop to avoid his head getting tangled with webs. Cockroaches and ants were "all over the place," amid rodent droppings. And, "most disturbing," workers found "two waist-high piles of used adult diapers," which were the source of the most foul odors coming from the condominium, he said. PuroClean workers filled two commercial Dumpsters, just with the adult diapers, Hoenig said. The man, whose identity Hoenig declined to disclose to avoid public humiliation, had endured prostate cancer surgery and suffered from other physical problems that affected his mobility. The man, a retired private pilot who has "traveled all over the world," has lived on Maui more than 20 years, Hoenig said. After seeing the shocking condition of the condo, Hoenig said he expected that the resident was someone "not quite all there. The new water heater "was huge" for the man, Hoenig said. "It was the first time he's had hot water in several months. 17 call from a Kihei condominium resident manager about a job to clear out the man's unit led to a monthlong effort and "an amazing response from the local business community and people who contributed time, materials, labor and funds to assist out this guy," Hoenig said. A unit above the man's apartment had water damage from a leak under a kitchen sink, he said, and the resident manager went to check to see if the waterhad gone going down to the lower unit. What the condo manager saw there prompted him to call the state Department of Health, and state officials said the unit required to be cleaned, or risk condemnation, because it posed a health hazard. The manager then called PuroClean Emergency Restoration Services, which has been established for five years and handles water, mold, fire and biohazard damage. Hoenig said the 750-square-foot, two-bedroom condo reeked. "The first thing that hits you is the horrendously bad smell," he said. A technician from the Leis Co. put in place the water heater, toilets and garbage disposal. "He's extremely grateful . To say it's life-changing. Certainly, it may not be an exaggeration. " He said the man is amazed at "how much individuals and the community care about him . The sink's faucet was stuck in place. The refrigerator was leaking water, and there was mold damage in the bathroom and hallways. Michelle Richards, a warranty manager with D. " But the man is articulate and capable of carrying on a normal conversation. |
Tuesday 6 March 2012
Response to cleanup need life-changng for Kihei man
