By Julianna Parker Jones
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After Joseph Johnson's 3-year-old son was diagnosed with leukemia in June 2006, his life changed drastically.
The single father lost his job because he had to spend so much time for treatment at the hospital with his son, Jo Jo.
"I ended up losing everything I'd worked hard to get," Johnson said. The family had to move out of their apartment and into temporary housing provided through Community Action, a Norman nonprofit.
There, Johnson was encouraged to apply for a home through Cleveland County Habitat for Humanity. He applied in July 2007 and was accepted, and is now helping to build a house of his own. It will be completed mid-June.
He said he's excited about "my kid having a place to play, being able to sit out on the front porch and relax, something I've ever had before."
Johnson grew up living in apartments and said it's always been a dream of his to own his own home.
That dream is becoming a reality. His three-bedroom, one-bath home is being built at 313 W. Himes St. by volunteers as well as some professionals. Johnson and his mother, Diane, are also helping with construction. Johnson is required to contribute 300 hours of "sweat equity" with Habitat for Humanity, as well as pay a lowered down payment and mortgage on the home.
Students from the University of Oklahoma Greek community and the OU student chapter of Habitat for Humanity raised the money for the house and have provided most of the labor to build it.
Many women worked on the house this past week as part of National Women Build Week May 2-10, leading up to Mother's Day. The event is an initiative of Habitat for Humanity's Women Build program, underwritten by Lowe's, which brings women from all walks of life together to learn construction skills and then use those skills to build simple, decent, affordable houses.
Women were scheduled to paint the exterior of the house Saturday, said Jana Castleberry, Cleveland County Habitat executive director. Morning rains, however, prevented the job. Work continued Saturday afternoon after the rain cleared.
"The house will allow the family the place needed to care for Jo Jo and create a stable and healthy life for them all," Castleberry said.
One worker inside the house Saturday afternoon was Diane Johnson, Joseph's mother. She moved from her home in Maryland to help care for her grandson. She will be living in the new house with her son and grandson.
She said she's excited about having her own room, because she's been sleeping on a couch in the living room in their apartment.
In addition to leukemia, Jo Jo has Down's syndrome, chronic lung disease and other health complications that prevent him from being about to go to day care with other children, his grandmother said. So Diane's help has been critical in allowing Joseph to get another job and go back to work.
Now that Jo Jo is 6, he is able to go to school at Wilson Elementary School because he is placed in a small class where he won't be exposed to as many children. He is learning sign language, his grandmother said.
Jo Jo's cancer treatment should be completed by August, she said. That won't end the family's struggles, but the new house will make all the difference in Jo Jo's life, she said.
"It's been three years of treatment, so we're ready for some happy times," she said. She said the idea that she and her family will have a home is beyond words. She said she wanted to thank everyone who has helped her family get a new home.
"I can't express my gratitude to everybody," Diane Johnson said. "I wish there was something I could do to really show my gratitude."
Joseph Johnson said he is most looking forward to his son having a place to play safely outside at their new home.
Now, when Jo Jo can't be around others because of an increased risk of becoming ill, he can play in his own back yard.
Johnson is also excited about the prospect of owning his own home. He said it's already started feeling like home.
"I don't get that feeling at my apartment," he said. "I walk in and I feel like crap." But he's been stopping by the house nearly every day since construction began and is amazed at the progress made day to day.
"I'm a softy," he said. "I come here every night and walk around, because it's mine. It's already home."
Julianna Parker Jones 366-3541 jparker@normantranscript.com
