This week’s “Pay it Forward” took us to Mt. Holly Springs, Cumberland County. It’s where Lisa Goodridge hoped to help out a dear friend, Gloria Schell. A woman who was there for her through the most difficult times of her life.
“She helped me out when I was down and really hard on my luck. And she’s just really been there. Left and right. She’s now like mom, since my mom passed away.”
Lisa Goodridge describes the close relationship she has with Gloria Schell, whom she met about a decade ago. Goodridge says she was homeless when Schell took her in. Now it’s Schell who’s down on her luck, in recovery from major back surgery she had several months ago. Doctors still haven’s cleared her to return to work and her bills are piling up.
“I just want to help her out. And my husband and I have been, but it’s just, money’s tight for her, and she’s just a wonderful person.”
“Ok Lisa, here’s the $200, are you ready to go Pay it Forward to Gloria? Yes. Are you ready to give this to Gammy? She’s ready.”
So it was off to Mechanicsburg for Goodridge and her daughter Kylie to go surprise the woman they affectionately call “Mimi.”
“It’s open! Hi mom! I am here with FOX43 News. What for? To pay it forward to you, $200, because of everything you have done for me, and Kylie. I love you! I love you too! You stinker! Hi! Thank you!”
Schell’s surgery and other health issues make it difficult for her to get around and take care of things. But Goodridge and her husband have stepped right in to take care of her needs.
“They are absolutely great to me and we’re thinking about getting a place together where we could all live together and not have to be doing steps and things like that.”
In the meantime, she’s still getting over the shock of our surprise visit.
“I’ve seen this on TV and I thought, aww it can’t happen, that could never happen to me. Oh thank you!”
Schell says she definitely plans to Pay it Forward in some way to someone else once she’s back on her feet.