El Paso senior needs help with mobile home repairs

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) — An 88-year-old woman said she needs help making repairs to her mobile home. Rita Yorgensen lives in Casa Mobil Home Park in Northeast El Paso.

Yorgensen said she lives on a fixed income and has no credit. The mobile home she rents needs roof repairs -- but she said she can't afford it.

A local repair company, Top Dog Roofing TX, created a GoFundMe to raise money for Yorgensen's repairs.

"Well, it's hard to be me. You feel like you're not needed in the world," said Yorgensen.

She told ABC-7 she has been living in the property since 1985. She used to live their with her husband and family until her husband passed away and her children eventually moved out.

"My life is a mess, just a mess," said Yorgensen.

Eric and Manny from Top Dog Roofing TX were initially called to the scene to do a roof inspection. They quickly learned the home was in need of many more repairs.

ABC-7 visited the mobile home. The front door doesn't lock, so Yorgensen created a makeshift barricade to keep the door shut.

There are also multiple openings in the ceiling that allow rain and debris to fall through. Along with water damage, burnt electrical outlets and the exterior skirting of the home is deteriorating.

"Well, what am I going to do? Where am I going to be? You know, all these things. Where can I go? The children are disappointed. And, you know, it's hard. They won't let my son work." said Yorgensen.

Eric said he recognized how much stress and hardship these repairs have caused Yorgensen.

"Nobody should be living like this. What's the point of having a construction company if you're not building the community," said Eric.

"But at the end of it all, we're all somebody's daughter, somebody's sister, somebody's grandmother, somebody, you know, and it's just somebody helping somebody else," he said.

Pedraza said all the repairs could cost about $4,000.

For Yorgensen, those repairs represent much more than just fixing a structure. They represent keeping the place she has called home for decades and preserving the memories built inside it.

With the deadline approaching and limited options available, her story serves as a reminder of how impactful neighbor-to-neighbor support can be when a member of the community falls on hard times.

Those who wish to contribute to Yorgensen's repair fund can find the donation link here.