Ferguson, Missouri – FOX 2 Contact 2 volunteers are helping Ferguson homeowners save their homes from foreclosure.
Tara Owens and her husband, Lynex, purchased a home in 1995 and raised their family there.
“We have eight children in total. We raised all eight children in this house,” said Tara Owens.
When the pandemic hit, Mr. and Mrs. Owen lost their jobs and feared losing their homes.
“We reached out to our mortgage companies and they allowed us a leniency for their COVID-19 relief program,” Tara said.
In October 2021, Tara said she had COVID-19. Lynex he tested positive three days later.
“He was on oxygen in the hospital on Oct. 14. He was put on a ventilator on Oct. 23, his 53rd birthday,” Tara said. “On November 13th, he passed away from symptoms of COVID-19 pneumonia.”
Tara said Rhinex’s death has disrupted plans to resume mortgage payments when COVID-19 relief has run out. She turned to SAFHR, the state aid for home relief, for help and said she had been approved for mortgage assistance, but Tara said she was unable to pay due to a misunderstanding between the mortgage company and the state. , she said she was unable to get the help she needed.
“I contacted the mortgage company and they told me they weren’t authorized or unable to accept payments because my house was in foreclosure,” Tara said.
After Tara reached out to FOX 2 for help, longtime Contact 2 volunteer Steve Radinsky took care of the case.
“He called me back and said I’ll try to help you, but I’m just a volunteer,” Tara said. It turns out, I feel like he’s part of my family now.”
Ladinsky, who has been helping consumers for more than 20 years, said he’s been on the phone.
“In less than 24 hours, I found a woman who spoke to me,” Ladinsky said. “At the time, I didn’t know how to make a three-way call, so I made a three-way call with two phones.”
Tara said she thanked Contact 2 for saving her home.
“At the last minute of the 4th, I received an email from the state saying the mortgage company said the payment had been made and confirmed,” Tara said. “I owe it to her Contact 2 for staying home and saving our home.”
Ladinsky said it feels great to help someone.
“Oh, this gives me a high. This gives me an adrenaline high. It’s one of the greatest things I’ve ever done in my life,” he said. I was. “Every time I do this, it gives me energy.”
Tara said she calls Contact 2 her “angel.”
“I think God sent angels to camp around us. Channel 2, Contact 2, were my angels through all this.” I would have put everything here.”
“It makes my day. I tell everyone. This is what I do. This is who I am,” Ladinsky said.