Carl Tyson, a FAMU alumnus, worries day and night about his mother’s living conditions. His mother, Essie Tyson, recently suffered an epileptic seizure, which caused her to fall and be hospitalized. She is a 93-year-old woman living in a home in nearby Monticello that could collapse at any time.
The roof has been damaged for years; there is poor lighting, terrible plumbing, weak floors due to rain damage and age, an infestation of bugs, electrical concerns and no air or heat.
Tyson says he’s terrified of anyone in the home getting sick, especially his mother, who lives there. He wants everyone to feel comfortable and safe.
Words really cannot describe how bad the house is, Tyson said. He traveled from his home in North Carolina to Tallahassee to try to fix it up as best he can, but the things he did were not enough.
“The house is in poor condition because the flooring is just weakening, and I can tell every time I walk in,” Tyson said.
The house was built in the 1940s. It is congested, unsafe and unsuitable for his mother. Tyson’s brother, Willie Tyson, was taking care of the home, but with his recent passing, it became difficult for Tyson’s mother to keep everything together.
Having a mother who just recently was admitted to the hospital living in a moldy, bug-infested home is disheartening for Tyson, and he feels guilty because he is living well in North Carolina and his mother is not. This situation is breaking his heart because, financially, he is trying the best he can with the little he has.
“I would not want anybody, even people on the street, as much as they would need somewhere to stay over there. I wouldn’t want them to come into that house because it will not serve the purpose it needs,” said Daisy Gardner.
Gardner is Tyson’s aunt and is concerned about her sister’s safety. She wishes she could help, but financially she cannot. Gardner knows it is time for her sister to leave that home, especially with her health conditions.
Tyson has tried everything he could to raise money. He has tried raising money, but more is needed for a modular or double-wide mobile home. He also went through the county to find funding, but that was a complex and lengthy process that has yet to yield results.
Now, he is moving by faith and praying that anyone will support him in his GoFundMe to help him help his mother.
“I cannot enjoy it when I come home because I am constantly thinking about how I am going to change and move stuff. If I had the money, I would have bought or built her home already,” Tyson said.
Tyson wants to take his mother back to North Carolina, but he cannot, especially with her recently leaving the hospital and her need for physical therapy.
Getting Tyson’s mother a new home as soon as possible is the only thing that is on his mind. He hopes to purchase a new home for his mother with any donations.
He says he has done everything in his power but needs to figure out what to do next. His only hope and faith are in God, FAMUily and GoFundMe.
“One of her biggest desires has always been to have a nice house. She has never had one before,” Tyson said.
He hopes to get his mother a modular or a double-wide home before the year ends or even before that. He wants to grant his mother’s biggest desire with the help of anyone willing to help.
To help Tyson, visit “To raise money for a new modular for my elderly mom, organized by Carl Tyson” at gofundme.com