Family caretaker in Laveen wins Pay It Forward award

PHOENIX (3TV/CBS 5) - We Paid It Forward in Laveen to Cathy Hensley, who does all she can for her family. Her friend Kim nominated her. “Her son Michael is blind and handicap, her husband had problems with amputation of the feet, her mother is on dialysis with diabetes right now, and they all three are under her care,” explained Kim.

Cathy currently cares for three disabled family members and hardly has time to herself. In addition, she had to take special classes to run a dialysis machine for her mother. Because of her hard work, her friend Kim wanted to Pay It Forward to her.

Paul Horton and Kim walked up to Cathy’s home. “Hi there Cathy, how are you? We hear you are a pretty awesome person,” said Horton. “I’d like to think so,” replied Cathy. “Kim wrote us a really nice letter about you. You won $500; it’s our pay it forward award for everything you do,” said Horton.

Cathy was delighted and thanked Arizona’s Family for the gift. “Thank you. Thank you, that is so sweet,” she said.

Kim says that Cathy would give the shirt off her back to anyone who needed help. She has been a caretaker for so long, and money is tight. Cathy is going to use her $500 award to fix her windshield, which needs to be replaced.

Caretaking takes up her whole day, but she does it because they are family. “Because I have to, I love them, they need the help. I have to,” she said.

If you would like to nominate someone for our Pay It Forward award, fill out a nomination form on our community page.

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