VIDEO: 90-Year-Old Veteran Evicted from His Home

World War II veteran Johnnie Hodges found himself in debt when his wife, Flora, became ill with Alzheimer’s and died. With more than $100,000 owed to the bank, Johnnie was evicted from the home of 60 years. Since he refused to leave voluntarily, police and ambulance crews removed Johnnie on a stretcher, which some of his neighbors witnessed. They pulled together to help and the community’s outpouring of support raised more than $110,000 in less than 24 hours. Johnnie was able to buy his house back and make some additional repairs as well. How’s that for great neighbors? Watch this heartwarming story – it will restore your faith in humanity!

Johnnie Hodges Sr refused to leave the property in Buffalo, New York, despite missing more than $100,000 in loan repayments and utility bills.
Hodges, a father-of-two who served in the Navy on ships in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, became submerged in debt after his wife was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s around five years ago. At the same time, Hodges was not in good health and the bus company he worked for said he could no longer drive.

Hodges’ daughter, Robin, told the Buffalo News her father look out a second loan in 1996 to repair parts of the home, but medical bills for his wife meant he struggles to meet his monthly repayments. By 2011, he owed $100,000 to M&T Bank plus tens of thousands in liens on the property.

The bank insists they have been trying to offer Hodges and his daughter support since 2011 but their calls have gone unanswered.

Finally, after a four-year dispute with local authorities, he was served with an eviction notice on July 9.

But when police officers arrived he said they would have to arrest him to get him out. It was just two days before the anniversary of his wife Flora’s death. Hodges’ daughter, Robin, told the Buffalo News her father look out a second loan in 1996 to repair parts of the home, but medical bills for his wife meant he struggles to meet his monthly repayments.

By 2011, he owed $100,000 to M&T Bank plus tens of thousands in liens on the property. The bank insists they have been trying to offer Hodges and his daughter support since 2011 but their calls have gone unanswered.

A local veteran who was not named also offered to buy Hodges’ home and let him live there for $1 a year if he could rent out one of the rooms. According to the Washington Post, Hodges refused that offer. ‘I worked a lifetime for this house, and I’d like to be here until I leave this world,’ he told Buffalo News in June as he fought to keep his home.

‘I fell behind on the mortgage when my wife was sick. She had Alzheimer’s disease.’ Proudly wearing his Navy cap, Hodges looked defiant as he was carried out last week to be taken to a veterans home for a mental health assessment.