In less than a week, Kymmeria Chambers’ co-workers transformed a home on Bowmar Avenue for her making it handicap accessible.

From widening doors to building a ramp, employees from the Coastal Hydraulics Lab at ERDC have made it possible for Chambers to get around easier in a wheel chair.

Chambers had a massive cerebral stroke at work this year and in effort to provide care for her niece when she is released from the rehab facility, Freddie Thompson offered the Bowmar home for her to live in.

Thompson bought the house that is being made handicap accessible for her mother about 20 years ago, she said, and because Chambers’ mother, who has also suffers from a stroke lives next door, having both women living close together will make it possible for Thompson to provide care to the women.

“Since I see about my sister who lives right over here, I can now fix Kym’s lunch and breakfast,” Thompson said.

The outpouring of help to renovate the house has been overwhelming, Thompson said, and even referred to those helping with the construction as angels.

“These are angels helping out here,” Thompson said, pointing to the men and adding that if anyone had never seen an angel this is what they look like.

“Mr. Pratt (Thad Pratt) and his crew of angels came over to help my niece, and they have just been so sweet to us,” Thompson said.

Pratt said Thompson had initially just asked him if knew of anyone who could build a ramp at the home and from the request came the abundance of help and support.

Anywhere from 15 to 20 volunteers have been on-site helping and more than $3,800 was raised to go towards the purchase of building supplies.

“Every worker has pitched in with their own ability,” Pratt said, with some providing labor skills while others have offered food and water.

In addition to making the home handicap accessible, flooring issues had to be addressed as well as a leaky pipe replaced, Pratt said.

“You always hear about the bad things going on, but this is something really good happening,” Thompson said.

Lula Davenport described her co-worker as a giving individual.

“To tell you about Kym, she does not have a mean bone in her body. She does not know how to be mean, or get upset or raise her voice to anyone,” Davenport said.

“She was a pleasant person to work with,” added Brenda Smith, who is another one of Chamber’s co-workers.

“We love our co-worker,” Genia Johnson said. “She would have never asked for this, so we had to do it behind the scenes,” Johnson said.

Pratt said funds are continuing to come in for Chambers and some of those will also be used to purchase her a refrigerator and a television for the home.

“We will keep getting her what she needs until the money runs out,” Pratt said.

Chambers has not yet been released from the rehabilitation facility, but when the time comes, a home is waiting and ready.