87-year-old woman lives in leaky shack, prays for help

Jul 31, 2009

An 87-year-old woman, living alone, in a 160-year-old shack about three miles south of Lena, Mississippi says she has no one to help her get out of the deplorable conditions.

Every room in her shack leaks, except for the living room in the center of the badly deteriorated structure. In that one crowded room, 87-year-old Ester Davis lives by herself, sleeping on part of an old couch. She has lived here since 1970.

Her only income is social security, which is $688 a month. The only work she has ever done is chopping and picking cotton. She only went through the third grade and says she has no relatives who are in a position to help her. Neighbor James Crain brings her wood for her only source of heat, an old wood stove.

“I hope somebody will see it and get her some help,” said Crain. “I wish she could live in the same conditions I live in.”

Ester Davis is mentally alert, hears and speaks well. She still drives a car and pays a $77 a month light bill, $20 a month for water and washes her own clothes. She is not complaining about her situation but does admit she could use some help.

“How do you feel about living in these conditions? Well, I don’t like it,” said Davis. “But I don’t know what I can do about it other than pray to the Lord that he gets me some help.”

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