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From The Daniel Island News Top Stories
Nine weeks ago physicians advised Ben and Joy Allen and their two young daughters to move out of their $419,900 D.R. Horton-built house at 100 Jordan Court after testing revealed apparent construction defects and elevated toxic mold levels. The precautionary move was made because Ben has multiple sclerosis and 3-year-old Madeleine has neutropenia, two conditions that can be exacerbated by mycotoxin exposure. Joy and Ellie, 4, have been healthy since living on Jordan Court. The Allens purchased their home in 2005. Armed with rags, rubber gloves, masks and disinfectant, the volunteers joined Joy to scrub select household goods, toys and family treasures that had been carted from the house to the driveway. The items were then loaded into waiting vehicles and onto a flatbed trailer for transport to a nearby Etiwan Park house that the Allens are renting. "This has meant the world to us," Joy said as she and volunteer Tom Liu cleaned a bed frame. "Ben isn’t able to help with this so it’s wonderful that people came out to help. It’s a godsend." A few feet away, MariMae Boyce-Anderson was meticulously cleaning a large plastic dollhouse. With a husband who serves long deployments on nuclear submarines, the young military mom splits her time between Hawaii and her parents’ Daniel Island home. She materialized on Jordan Court to help a family she’d never met. "I first met the Allens today," Boyce-Anderson said. "But I read about them and thought that this community needs to stick together when things like this happen to our neighbors. And I do expect that people on Daniel Island will respond. If it happened to me, I think I’d just pack up and leave. I mean, look at this dollhouse. Everything that is being saved has to be wiped down like this. If it’s got a porous surface, forget it. That stuff gets tossed." Boyce-Anderson said it was sobering to don a mask and gloves to sort and throw away unsalvageable sentimental Allen family treasures such as photos and the children’s scrapbooks and toys. She also marveled at the Allens’ spirit and strength throughout their ordeal. "Just imagine if you had to pick up without warning and move out of your house," Boyce-Anderson said. "It would be so traumatic. Plus, the Allens are still carrying the mortgage on a house they can’t live in. It’s tough." Mold house, act II Neighbors David and Terry Pittman share more than property lines with Ben and Joy Allen. They, too, are homeless because of mold problems in their D.R. Horton-built home. The Pittmans decided to have their house at 102 Jordan Court inspected after seeing what happened to the Allens. The results were alarming. Extensive mold and rotted wood were found where window flashing was missing or improperly installed, David said. Most alarming was the discovery of large concentrations of toxic mold in their 7-year-old son Anders’ bedroom where he’s slept since his infancy. They moved out of the home July 4 after the family’s ear, nose and throat specialist said that there could be a link between Anders’ chronic ear infections and mold exposure. "Anders has had countless ear infections, so many that our pediatrician finally said we need to see a specialist," David said. "He’s got diminished hearing in both ears and cannot alleviate pressure build-up in his ears because of so much scar tissue. No one’s ever known what to attribute it to." The Pittmans have been staying with friends since their exodus and have lodging arranged until this weekend. But Anders and younger brother Benon, 5, are ready to go back home. Terry said she was surprised at Anders’ reaction when he saw footage of his bedroom included in a news broadcast. "I thought he’d be excited to see it on TV," Terry said. "But his lip started quivering and he finally said, ‘I miss my room and I want to go home.’" David said D.R. Horton is sending inspectors to visit both affected properties on July 18 and 19. The Allens and Pittmans are represented by Daniel Island attorney Patrick McDonald but have refrained from filing a lawsuit against the builder. Both families say they hope that their situations can be resolved without embarking on a court battle. © Copyright The Daniel Island News |
