In 2007, Marty Maxfield entered home hospice care. He was 47 years old and had terminal cancer. With the end of his life growing ever closer, he and his wife, Janice, decided to move from California to Utah to be closer to their adult children.
With very short notice, Maxfield's oldest son found a small house in his neighborhood for the couple to move into. It was a little run down, but it would have to do. Next, the family met up in California to pack up the couple's belongings and prepare for the 12-hour road trip to their new home in Utah.
Maxfield's brother, Larry, took on the role of chauffeur. "I was driving my brother's truck with Marty as my passenger," Larry said.
As they drove, Maxfield reflected on how grateful he was for his family's support, and expressed his desire to have his wife taken care of after he died.
"I listened intently," Larry said. "But somehow in the back of my mind, I had a nagging feeling that I wished we had had more time to fix up the little house in Utah before our arrival."
Larry's fears were soon abated. When they arrived, it was after dark, but the lights inside their new home were on, and neighbors were there to welcome the couple.
"We assisted Marty up the porch stairs, and he looked inside and he found the strength to smile and say, 'This is wonderful,'" Larry remembered.
When the family looked inside, they realized that, during their three-day drive from California, a group of women from the neighborhood had been working diligently to prepare the house.
"[They had] scrubbed the house top to bottom. They had sewn simple but beautiful draperies, and they turned the tiny old house into an inviting home," Larry said.
Maxfield passed away two days later surrounded by his family, in the comfort of their new home.
"These women who were total strangers made a real difference in our lives, and I will never forget the kindness and compassion they showed to Marty and Janice, who were their complete strangers. They are my unsung heroines," Larry said.
My Unsung Hero is also a podcast — new episodes are released every Tuesday. To share the story of your unsung hero with the Hidden Brain team, record a voice memo on your phone and send it to myunsunghero@hiddenbrain.org.
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