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School Custodian Who Lost Home In Fire Gets New House Thanks To Students

July 6, 2015

After years of taking care of her school, a custodian got the thank you of a lifetime.

For the last 20 years, Brenda Hurst has been the head custodian at Boiling Springs High School in Boiling Springs, South Carolina.

Last year, Hurst's home had burned down.

Boiling Springs High School principal Chuck Gordon said he immediately called the student council and staff members to see what they could do.

"She's always there. I'd dare say she's spent her whole paycheck on kids in the school," Gordon told ABC News. "She found herself hurting, and it was our turn to give back to her."

Sudent council president Alexis Ork talked to her student council adviser, and the school soon came together to start raising money towards buying Hurst a mobile home.

"When people come to our football games at Boiling Springs, they hear her laugh. They know Ms. Brenda," Ork said. "So we started getting sponsors from businesses in Boiling Springs."

But after Mike Ravan, executive director of United Carpenters for Christ in Spartanburg, South Carolina, read about Hurst's story, he called Gordon and offered to help build Hurst a new home.

"Mr. Gordon told me, 'Ms. Hurst, don't worry about it. Boiling Springs will help you. They will build you a house,'" Hurst recalled.

With donations from the school and community and help from volunteers, Carpenters for Christ was able to build and furnish a new home for Hurst.

Hurst also received things she never had in a home before.

"She never had a washer and dryer. Now she has new ones," Ravan said. "She never had air conditioning, and now she does."

Hurst has not yet moved in, but she's already thinking of using her new kitchen to thank everyone by making them all banana pudding.

"That's what I'm famous for — my banana pudding," Hurst said. "It's a lot, but I love them like they love me. And I don't mind."

Source: The Gods Grace, ABC News.