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Little Wishes: Texas grandmother who can’t afford trips to laundromat gets new washer and dryer

“You don’t realize how important clean towels and clean clothes are until you don’t have it in your daily life,” said Linda Gurkin.

DALLAS — This content is sponsored by Sam Pack Auto Group.

Linda Gurkin has one device she can use for Wi-Fi and a cellphone that is less than reliable. 

Deborah Newell’s phone is not much better.

So, joining the two friends via a surprise video chat presented major technological challenges.

“She’s having serious problems with her phone I think,” Gurkin said, watching a frozen, pixilated image of Newell on the screen. 

“I don’t think she’s going to make it!”

Technical difficulties are relatable these days.

RELATED: Nominate someone deserving for a 'Little Wish'

Gurkin’s struggles are too.

She is a grandmother to three girls – one lives with her during the week and does virtual school from her apartment. The other two stay with her every weekend.

“They’re the joy of my life. That’s what keeps me going, my grandbabies,” said Gurkin.

She had been living in a Haltom City mobile home with major leaks and countless other problems. 

“It was probably condemnable, but it was cheap,” she said.

Safety concerns pushed her to move to an apartment in Bedford. She’s now trying to live off $700 a month.

Some months, she can’t afford groceries.

Most months, she can’t afford laundry.

“I just have a lot of dirty clothes. They pile up. I don’t have the money to go to a laundromat,” she said. “It’s expensive. Real expensive.”

“You don’t realize how important clean towels and clean clothes are until you don’t have it in your daily life,” she said.

Sometimes she takes her laundry to Newell’s house. They’ve been best friends for years.

“She’s like a sister to me. She’s the one I can turn to, and I hope she feels the same way,” said Gurkin.

Newell certainly does.

She nominated Gurkin for a Little Wish, asking that her best friend receive a washer and dryer.

On the video call that Newell couldn’t quite join, she was prepared to read this letter to Gurkin:

“Dear Linda,

We’ve all had times when we just can’t catch a break. In these moments, we need family, friends and neighbors to help us out.

Sam Pack Auto Group is a proud member of your North Texas family, and it is our privilege to help our neighbors when they need it.

Your friends at Sam Pack Auto Group heard about your struggles and are excited to grant you this Little Wish: a new washer and dryer!

We hope this helps take some of the stress out of a difficult time.

Sincerely,

Sam Pack Auto Group and WFAA”

Gurkin was stunned at the news.

“Oh my God. Oh my God! That’s so nice. Thank you so much!” she said. “That’s a miracle. It really is. It is life changing. There’s no way to tell you how appreciative I am. Thank you. Thank you so much.”

RELATED: ‘You just can’t catch a break’: Struggling single mom gets Little Wish

Gurkin said if she’d known about the Little Wishes program, she would have nominated Newell. 

Here's how you can nominate someone for a Little Wish.

“She’s been through a lot,” Gurkin said. “She’s a really good person in her heart and soul. She’s my best, best friend and I can’t believe she did this for me.”

Newell said she nominated Gurkin because she “rises above her problems and is good to everybody she knows.” 

“It means the world to me just to have her as a friend,” said Newell.

Friends supporting friends, women supporting women – through technical difficulties and through all.

That is relatable, too.

    

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