Volunteers renovate home for Connecticut father battling terminal cancer
GREENWICH, Connecticut (WABC) -- An unforgettable story about an unforgettable family now has another amazing chapter about a community coming together.
A school in Greenwich, Connecticut, pushed up a senior's graduation so his father could be there.
Akram El-Tayyeb has been battling terminal gastro-intestinal cancer and was worried he wouldn't live to see his son Ferris graduate.
Now Akram has some unfinished home improvement projects and it's getting done thanks to some heroes coming together.
"I always had this list of the things I wanted to do for my family," said Akram said.
Now things are getting done!
One really great part of this story is who is coming together to do all this work for free for Akram; the outside, siding and roof are being done by the local Islamic Center and the inside is being done by a local church.
"Look what happens when people come together, that's where peace comes," Akram said.
"It is beautiful to see this and I hope it inspires other people," said Denise El-Tayyeb, Akram's wife.
The family home where Akram, Denise, Ferris, Zack, and Laith live is getting new siding, windows, and a new roof!
This is expensive labor, intensive stuff, all being done by Ludyn Navas from El Real Tabernacle in Stamford. He says Akram has it coming.
"Everything he does is help, he loves to help everybody," Navas said.
"He's a Muslim who volunteers with the church and he is a man who has always helped his community and lives every aspect of it," said Zead Ramadan, of the Islamic Center Hudson Valley.
Ramadan says the minute the Islamic Center of Hudson Valley heard about the unfinished honey-do list, people rolled up their sleeves.
"He's so focused on giving, so in his darkest hour all different parts of the community came together to support him," Ramadan said.
Akram admits he's overwhelmed, but not surprised.
"That what God made us for to work together, stick together, help each other and embrace each other," Akram said.
