Sometimes friends compliment me for being so helpful to others. How does that happen? Do I have radar to let me know when someone needs help? No… but a network of friends and friends-of-friends know that they can ask, and my answer almost always is, “sure… what can I do to help?” Last Saturday, my big mouth got me into trouble.

Saturday morning, a senior pal called to ask me to call a friend of hers “who needs some help.” Sure, I said, “I’ll be happy to help.”

I called the friend who said that her son was injured, and needed a light fixture replaced in his kitchen. His injury prevented him from doing it himself, and he and his family are “short on cash.” That is a euphemism for “can’t afford an electrician.”

Okay, I said, “no problem.” I checked with my spouse who said that he just needed to rest, “so go do your thing.”

I packed up my MacGyver toolbox and off I went … only to discover that the man I visited had lost his right leg and seriously wounded his left leg while serving in the Army. Yep, before me was a real hero, a wounded warrior.

He was apologetic for “causing trouble.” He kept saying, “I shouldn’t have said anything to my Mom.” His wife countered that and thanked me for coming over.

She invited me into the kitchen and showed me the light that required replacement. They had purchased a new light, so swapping it out wouldn’t take very long.

Then I looked over to the doorway (kitchen to hallway) and saw what gyrations that my wounded-and-recovering friend had to go through just to get into his kitchen. The door frame was smaller than a wheelchair would fit through. He had to pull himself up, hold onto the door frame, push his chair through, turn it around, then get back into it. He had worked out quite a routine to do this. But it really struck me — he has to go through those shenanigans every time he enters or exits his kitchen?

I asked him about that. He said that when he wears his prosthetic leg, he can get through just fine. But his prosthesis is being worked on (refitted) so he was back to using the chair. He said that happens now and again. He also said that sometimes, he chooses not to wear his prosthesis because it is a lot of work and sometimes causes pain. When he is at home, he finds the chair easier to use.

Then my big mouth got me into more trouble. I asked, “are there other doorways where you have this trouble?” He shrugged, and his wife said, “honey, tell him about the bathroom and bedroom.”

Their en suite master bath had been modified to accommodate him, with an ADA-compliant toilet, grab bars, and lower counter/sink height. However, the doorway into the bedroom and doorway into the bathroom had not been modified. So he had to go through the same gyrations — twice — just to go to the bathroom (if he is in his chair.)

Oh goodness… this won’t do. Won’t do at all.

I asked them that if I could get some friends who are very handy with construction to help, would they allow us to modify the doorways into their kitchen, bedroom, and bath?

They were worried about how much that would cost. No problem… I know some people.

I made a few calls. Soon enough, a charitable foundation had essentially given me a blank check (in the form of an open purchase order at a local building supplies store.) Four buddies from my local fire department came over. Within an hour, we had made a trip to the building supplies store to get required materials, went home to get appropriate power tools, then returned to begin our remodeling project.

In five hours, and with a six-pack and two large pizzas later, three doorways had been modified, walls repaired, door frames installed, and even painted. I also took the time to replace that light fixture that got me there in the first place.

My buddies and I were happy to help. Truly.

The smiles on my new friends’ faces (and their children) said it all… that’s all we needed. It’s not charity. It is what neighbors do.

Life is short: see a need and do something about it.