MAGNOLIA, DELAWARE — My mom, Lila Childress, was so outgoing and fun. My children and I have many fond memories of holidays spent at her home in Magnolia. My father put his whole heart into that home, adding porches, sheds, and even digging tunnels for irrigation systems. We had a horseshoe pit in the back and dad installed a basketball court at the bottom of the hill just so his grandkids could play basketball. Every year we did easter egg hunts, and my children spent all their Christmases there. 

Eventually though, time ages everything. My dad passed away. Without him, mom needed help living in that home. In 2014 I moved in with her. She didn’t want to be alone, and I’m so grateful I was able to be there for her. 

Not long after I moved in, mom was diagnosed with a blood infection, then stomach cancer. The next several years were hard. In 2018, she was gone.

One of my mom’s final wishes was that I stay in that house, so she gave me a life estate. Unfortunately, that didn’t stop my siblings from fighting over everything. Years of court battles racked up so many attorney fees that in 2021 the court ordered us to sell the house.

I was devastated. I had never owned a home before this. I didn’t know where I would live, or even how to start the home buying process. All my money was tied up in the estate. I was exhausted from the emotional toll of losing my parents and fighting for this house. I was also overwhelmed with the task of clearing out my parents’ belongings on my own. 

Then, just as everything was crashing down, I was diagnosed with breast cancer. I was facing so much, and it seemed like life just kept piling on. 

That same month, I met Bobbi Slagle with NextHome Preferred. 

Bobbi’s support was life-changing. She didn’t have to do half of what she did for me, but she stepped up because it was the right thing. I believe that angels walk among us, and she’s proof that there is still so much good in the world.

Bobbi needed to hold my hand through so many difficult things. My mom’s house needed significant repairs. We were getting offers far lower than I could accommodate, and yet it was crucial that it sell. 

I also needed to find a new home as a first time homebuyer with a very limited budget. All while undergoing radiation treatments for breast cancer. 

Bobbi and I started looking for a new home in March. 

My financial situation made the process a struggle. I was online all the time, searching, but nothing was within my reach.

From the beginning, Bobbi went above and beyond. She wasn’t just my real estate agent; she became a friend and someone I could lean on. 

Finally, in July, a house came up that was familiar to me — it had belonged to the parents of a friend from childhood. It needed a lot of work, but the location was perfect. Bobbi helped me every step of the way, from finding the right contacts to walking me through the process of making the right offer. She even bought me a new oven when the one that came with the house didn’t work. Her kindness was boundless, and her faith and encouragement were a blessing.

As I navigated the final steps of closing on the house, I was going through daily radiation treatments. The emotional and physical toll was immense, but Bobbi was right there with me. We closed on the house, and I moved in. This is the first home I’ve ever owned. It’s small, but it’s perfect for me, my son, our cat, and our dog. I’m still going through treatments and waiting for the final funds from my mom’s estate, but I finally have a place to call my own.

For anyone else who might feel they have hit rock bottom, don’t give up hope. My faith has taught me to believe that there are trials and tribulations you have to go through, and when things settle you will know why those hard things needed to happen. 

In my case, God sent me Bobbi. There is so much good in the world that people don’t see. During the hard times, the good in the world stands out. 

Bobbi deserves all the recognition in the world. She didn’t have to do half of what she did for me. She did it because it was the right thing to do, and I will be forever thankful. 

Without her, I don’t know what I would have done. My story would be so different without Bobbi.