Local Woman, Who Lost All In Fire, Now Facing Health Woes

RIVERHEAD, NY — The past few years have been laden with pitfalls for Peggy Richards, who now lives in Riverhead after losing all she owned, including her beloved pets, in a devastating Greenport fire in 2015.

Soon after, while she'd found shelter at the First Universalist Church of Southold, that historic church was also lost in a horrific blaze.

Despite the heartache of surviving two fires, Richards had begun to pick up the pieces of her life and rebuild — but now, she finds herself faced with health challenges and in need of help.

In a GoFundMe page, "Be Still My Heart," which has raised $565 of its $1,000 goal so far, Richards wrote about the new turns life has taken.

"I know we've been here before. Apologies. My disability is pending. Of course, that takes forever. I promise to pay you back or donate to a charity once my back disability comes out in. We were just making it for a short time. I had a few months of zero income and now I am paying arrears as well as current on my lot rent — I own my mobile home — and electric. And, as of May, the rent is going up," she said.

Richards said she's a grandmother of 10, with the latest baby girl just born. Her partner has colon cancer and she was just told that she needs open heart surgery, she said.

While her granddaughter helps around the house, expenses are mounting.

"I have a wonderful '72 Caddy, but we are running her into the ground with no money for parts. My partner is an excellent Caddy mechanic but we need parts. My steering pump is leaking fluid as fast as we can put it in and it needs plugs, an oil pump and a timing chain," Richards wrote.

Richards said those who donate should let her know if the funds should be returned or sent to a charity, when she's able; she asked that the charity be named.

"Once this disability comes in, we will be good and can help others instead of begging. So please, send me a little if you are so inclined and I promise to pay it forward," she wrote.

To donate, click here.