When his elderly parents needed to move, this man built them a custom home in his basement

If you have ever watched the film The Notebook then you know some loves are built to last. There is a bond that is created over time that ties two people to each other and as a couple of ages this bond can seem to only grow stronger. You have all of these shared experiences and moments together and you know that there are many more to come. What can be difficult though is that as couples age they sometimes require additional care from outside or even assisted living which can force a couple apart unless a solution is found.
One such couple found themselves at a crossroads as they got older and it became clear that they each needed some extra help. They were worried that they would finally have to be separated after spending more than 40 years by each other’s side which is when luck and some familial love smiled at them. Their son would not let his doting parents be parted and he devised a plan to keep them together which he quickly instituted.

Keeping Close

This son had been fortunate enough to grow up surrounded by love from both of his parents. He had always shared a close relationship with his mom and dad, especially the highs and the lows of his life. When he found out about his parents’ health warning he knew that he needed to do something.

His parents had cared for him as he grew up, and now they needed him to care for them. It was only right that he came up with a plan to keep them together.

A Wedding

The son in question goes by the name of Schon Miller and he eventually married his wife Jeannie in the state of Ohio where his parents also reside. The parents in this story belong to Schon and are named George and Bonnie. Both of them are quite elderly now and found that they required a bit more assistance with their day to day activities with each passing year.

Jeannie and Schon did what they could but they knew whatever help they were giving was simply not enough. They sat down together and decided to look at the cold hard facts of the situation and what they could do to alleviate it.

Health Problems

Both George and Bonnie have health issues that they have to deal with at the ripe old age of 87. They each have very specific medical needs that need to be addressed by professional health care workers. George suffers from memory loss due to an associated disease and Bonnie no longer has much mobility in her legs which finds her confined to a wheelchair.

George needed Bonnie as his safety net as she features strongly in his memories that he has access to, and Bonnie needs to be around him as he has been by her side almost all her life. But they both needed help to deal with their specific issues.

An In-Law House

The solution seemed to be two houses that were next door to each other. This would mean that Schon and Jeannie could regularly check on his parents on an as-needed basis. Bonnie and George could also come over and spend time with them as well as having access to the care they needed.

Schon did not want to place his parents in a care facility as he felt that they would be much happier being cared for and living close to family rather than strangers. Sadly, there were no properties that matched the specifications for both families with wheelchair access being high on the list of needs.

The Basement Suite

After a lot of hemming and hawing, it finally became clear what needed to be done. Schon and Jeannie had a basement that they had been using for storage which with a little bit of work and a lot of planning could be turned into the in-law suite they so desperately needed.

As they worked to clean out the basement of all of the random things they had collected over the years a plan began to take shape. It would take a bit of time to get everything in order and they did not want to get anyone’s hopes up until everything was done but it seemed like there was finally a bit of sunshine in the future.

The Nitty Gritty

Now that they had decided to go ahead with renovating their basement to suit the needs of George and Bonnie, Schone and Jeannie needed to figure out just what those needs would be. George would have to be able to find everything easily in case he forgot such as where the bathroom is.

Bonnie would have to be able to access the house with her wheelchair which might mean the installation of a machine that could assist her with going up and down stairs.

Surprise

After months of preparation and a lot of hard work it seemed like everything in the basement was installed and ready to be shown to its very deserving occupants. George and Bonnie were completely clueless when it came to what Schon and Jeannie had been up to.

They had been going out about their daily lives and hoping some miracle would allow them to stay together in the coming years. Little did they know such a miracle had been created.

Welcome Home

Schon and Jeannie collected George and Bonnie and brought them into their home as they usually did. Schon assisted Bonnie with her wheelchair up a newly installed ramp which immediately clued Bonnie in that something was up. Jeannie stood off to the side with her phone in hand, ready to immortalize the moment George and Bonnie realized they were entering their new home.

Bonnie was the first to notice all of the little changes that had been made throughout the first floor of the house.

The Sitting Room

As the four entered the basement it became clear what Schon and Jeannie had done for George and Bonnie. The first section had been turned into a living room and been made wheelchair accessible. Everything was also built at a height that Bonnie could access it without having to stand up and the chairs were on wheels so she could move them around as she liked.

Schon and Jeannie had appeared to have thought of everything.

It All Clicks Together

At this point in the tour of the new basement, Bonnie and George realized what their lovely son and his equally lovely wife had done for them. They had found a way to keep them together as they continued into the next phase of their lives.

They would not be separated from each other, they could live in harmony with their son and his family and want for nothing while still maintaining their independence. No detail had been overlooked.

Showing Off

George himself was astounded by what had been done but the import of the situation had not really hit home with him. Bonnie wanted him to understand that they would be able to stay together and found herself overcome with emotion.

When two people have been together for long, there is nothing worse than having to think that you may have to live apart. Even though neither are so capable anymore due to their old age, they both wanted nothing more than to be able to look after each other.

More Than A Room

She was so grateful to this precious son who had done everything in his power to ensure that his parents were well-cared for and loved as much as a son could possibly love his parents. But there was more to come.
 
He wanted to make sure that the basement room was much more than just a room, he wanted his parents to feel as though they had just moved into a new home. There was going to be much more than just a simple room to sleep in.

What’s Behind Door Number 2?

This in-law suite was not simply a sitting room, there were a variety of shut doors which Jeannie and Schon began to open. This was no longer the open concept basement.

Instead, drywall had been fitted and the entire structure had been partitioned off to give it the feeling of an apartment.

Amazing Space

The elderly couple began opening the doors and wandering through their new space. They found themselves gobsmacked by everything else that had been done.
 
It was a worrying time for both of them before now, they assumed they would have to leave their home and have limited space just so that they could be together. After walking through the front door, all their dreams had come true.

Feeling At Home

Bonnie quickly called George to her side and explained that this would be their new home. She wanted him to understand that he should feel comfortable in this space and have a look around with her.

Now that she knew it was hers she wanted to see everything her son and his wife had done to make it habitable.

Turning Tables

She felt truly blessed to have been given a son with such a big heart and felt like a load of worry had finally been taken off of her shoulders.

The thing you want most is for your loved ones to be happy and safe. After years of love and support, the tables had finally turned and the pair really needed their son to take charge.

Creature Comforts

No expense had been spared when it came to furnishing the suite. Schon knew that his parents loved watching television and putting on a good movie, it was one of their favorite things to do together. They loved nothing more than a movie and a cuddle on the sofa.

So, he had found some nice plush sofas and a giant flat screen television for them to watch all of their favorite programs on. This was a time where they got immense joy, by simply being with each other.

New Start

Jeannie had found some nice art to hang on the walls to add some color to the earth tones she had selected as the color palate. The suite was ready for immediate entry.

Bonnie and her husband quickly realized that they didn’t need to worry about anything anymore. Up until now, life was becoming very hard for them.

Overcome With Emotion

As the tour of the basement in-law suite continued to unfold Bonnie found that she could no longer keep a handle on her emotions.

The kindness, attention to detail, and love continued to wash over her and she found herself tearing up. This was much more to her than just a gift or nice gesture. This would transform her life.

More To Life

George and Bonnie had worried for so long about being in separate nursing homes and to have that worry eliminated, it was literally a dream come true. But one more treat awaited them.

What more could their son do? He had worked tirelessly and understood exactly what he needed to do so that his parents had a much better quality of life.

The Kitchen

Stairs had been a problem for Bonnie for a long time, she needed to be in a wheelchair most of the time and going up and down stairs was no longer really an option.

With this in mind, Jeannie and Schon had ensured that the in-law suite was entirely level and without a single step.

Ready To Go

The kitchen was also designed with wheelchair height in mind and the countertops were slightly lower to meet Bonnie’s needs. It was also completely stocked with cutlery as well as pots and pans.

The elderly couple really didn’t need to do a thing, unless there was anything special they wanted to add of course.

Door Frames

One might not think about door frames but for a wheelchair to fit through them comfortably they typically need to be wider.

Schon knew this and of course, made sure that every opening was the right width to allow for Bonnie’s wheelchair.

Special Features

Access had been the number one throughout the entire suite which had long been a problem at Bonnie and George’s other residence. Mobility would no longer be a problem for Bonnie here.

Even at nursing homes, it is not so common for the doorways to be any wider than normal. Miller had really gone the extra mile here.

The Bathroom

Another tricky room in terms of accessibility had seen many special features installed and that was the bathroom. The toilet had been modified.

It was raised up to meet Bonnie’s needs and bars had been placed in strategic locations to assist with getting in and out of the shower as well as near the toilet.

Independance

There was also a seat in the shower that Bonnie could lower herself onto so that she would be able to take care of her own needs and not need any assistance unless she asked for it.

This was a really important factor for Bonnie. One of her biggest worries was that she would completely lose her independence, and for her husband, he wanted to be able to look after her more, and now they both got what they wanted.

If You Need Help Just Ask

The in-law suite had everything that you would find in a long-term care facility from the special floors that allowed for wheelchair traction, to the bathroom and its many new accessories and built-in accouterments. But the best part of all was that Jeannie and Schon would always be around should his parents want for anything.

All Bonnie and George would need to do is call up for one of them and they would be there.

Do Unto Others

“Do unto others as you would have them do unto you” is a verse that this family seems to live by. If one is fortunate enough to have a close and loving relationship with their family then they should try and do everything in their power to assist them which is exactly what Schon and Jeannie did.

It was very much appreciated by George and Bonnie as it showed them the true power of love and that they instilled that deep-rooted love in their son as they raised him.

Unimportant

The basement that they turned into this magnificent in-law suite was not only used for storage. They did, in fact, have a large portion of it partitioned off as a games room. Schon is an avid pool player and had a billiards table down there along with a section for karaoke.

But none of that was important. They had space, and his parents needed a comfortable living space in their old age more than he needed a game of pool.

A Kind Couple

Jeannie herself has actually been involved with good works for a long time. If you go on Etsy you can check out her online store named Gum Drop Darling where she designs tutus for children. On more than one occasion she has donated some of her products to children in the sick kids’ wings of hospitals.

It is really fun for them to be able to get dressed up in her beautiful creations and play games for the day.

The End

It was all extremely worthwhile in the end when Schon got to see the look on George and Bonnie’s faces and know that he had done what was right. They had said that they would care for each other in ‘sickness and in health’ and Schon had allowed them to keep this promise to each other.

Now both families are under one roof and able to provide all the care and support they might need. This is truly a story of just how important family is.