COOPERSVILLE, Mich. — A single mother and her three children are getting their home back after part of it suddenly collapsed a couple weeks ago.
On Dec. 30, Tammi Bingley and her family woke up to a loud noise and a shaking feeling. Her basement wall collapsed, making the home too dangerous to live in. Her insurance company told her they wouldn't cover the damage because it was caused by "earth movement."
Since FOX 17 aired her story on New Year's Day, businesses from across West Michigan have stepped in to help Bingley rebuild.
“I was just scrolling through Facebook and I saw the FOX 17 news link about what happened and I just felt like God was pulling me to step up and do something," Andrew Preisner said.
Preisner owns Top Notch Pros, a landscaping company. He said he doesn't want notoriety, he just wants to do the right thing by helping.
“If you put away you know the business names and you put away anything you could benefit from it and you just do it from the heart and you help those who can’t help you, it really makes a difference in your heart and the people around you," Preisner said. “It really curates a bond between people at a deeper level in order to get stuff done.”
Along with Preisner's, the following businesses and people also contributed to rebuilding Bingley's home: Bil-Mar Masonry, Potluck Pick-Up, Draft Excavating, Austin Diesel Power Performance, Burnips Equipment Co., contractor David Netti, DV Masonry, Orchard Hill Mechanical, J.B. Outdoor Service, Berrington Electric and Kent Power Inc.
Preisner estimated these businesses are saving Bingley $30,000. Still, Bingley will be left with some expenses. There will be a benefit for Bingley at Coopersville Reformed Church on the evening of Jan. 25.
On Friday, while Preisner and two other volunteers were working to clear her yard, Bingley asked them to search the basement for her most valuable belonging: a box of photos from her childhood.
“It’s the one thing out of everything down there. I couldn’t care less about anything else. It could have been gone forever and it wouldn’t matter but this is what I wanted," Bingley said.
Within minutes of searching through the wreckage, the volunteers emerged with the box, unharmed.
Bingley burst into tears.
"Thank you so much," Bingley said to the volunteers through her tears. "You guys don’t even know what this means to me.”
