Noah Lamaide, 12-Year-Old Wisconsin Boy, Saves Grandma's Home From Foreclosure

After 12-year-old Noah Lamaide saw how the charity he had started was helping needy families, he knew exactly what to do when his own grandmother nearly lost her home.

When Noah's 72-year-old grandmother, Janice Sparhawk, fell behind on her mortgage payments for the home that had been in her family for three generations, the Wisconsin boy succeeded in raising $10,500 in a month, ABC News reports.

His efforts saved her house from the Feb. 15 auction just in time.

The young boy started Noah's Dream Catcher Network in 2010 to organize community service projects and give do-gooders a chance to donate to important causes.

"I want to help someone who is very dear to me for my next dream... My Grandma has fallen on hard times and is going to loose [sic] her home," Noah wrote on his website. "My Grandma in case you don't know her has a heart of gold. She has given so much to our community since I can remember!!!"

Sparhawk had first turned to the government for help, but when officials didn't come back to her with a payment program options, Noah stepped in, according to ABC.

Comments

[lynniebaker]

03:53 AM on 02/12/2012

Kindness, gentleness, sweetness and generosity are written all over Noah's face. What a great humanitarian and an excellent example to us all, young and old.

[camoore5]

03:50 AM on 02/12/2012

What a wonderful young man Noah is, and to only be 12 years old and to be trying to help out needy families. Way to go Noah! :))

[xkglady]

12:50 AM on 02/12/2012

We don't know the debts this grandmother had, nor how much social security benefits she's in receipt of, nor if she has other income, pension, etc, or if she's working to supplement her social security benefits, medical benefits, etc. Most times, with a good heart, that person things of other's needs, not that of themselves, and maybe she is too proud, private and will not ask for help, giving generously to her loved ones gifts, monetary and material, dinners, or if they take vacations, grandma wants to pay for goodies and dinners.

[xkglady]

12:42 AM on 02/12/2012

Led by example, as "Actions Speak Louder Than Words," as this young boy did emulate his grandmother by the way she showed him in doing good deeds for others. "What goes around, comes around!" Way to Go, Noah! How great is this story, and how wonderful a tribute to this loving grandmother!

[kunkle81]

12:20 AM on 02/12/2012

That tell's you what are tax dollar is doing for us, nothing. But soon another country need's money because of mother nature they get are tax dollar ASAP, the hel with us.

[anilimili]

11:35 PM on 02/11/2012

WTG kiddo! We need more kids like Noah in this world--who aren't looking to their Wii and nagging for their Ipad3s and nudging their parents for label clothing and other nonsense, and basically spending their time feeling ENTITLED; but are actually looking out for others: their loves ones, the ones in need, those less fortunate. Good kid.
Comes to show, that the future isn't all lost.
We can use more problem solvers, too. This kid was able to do more than Cogress and the Senate together have managed to do in recent years; so hellbent on fighting for politics and jostling for personal positioning that they got nada done.
Noah can lead a tutorial for politicians, called "Doing Something 101"...
WTG kid!

[deborah kitzul]

10:00 PM on 02/11/2012

what a thoughtful young man. in todays world of greed and selfishness, it gives people hope there are still good kids out there. we need more positive examples of these everyday heroes like Noah.

[rreggaeredkc]

09:33 PM on 02/11/2012

Noah...we need more like you. You will hopefullybe part of our future. You're a fine young man. God bless you and your grandmother.

[doc612]

08:57 PM on 02/11/2012

Question: if this home has been in the family for three generations why is there a mortgage on it? Could it be grandma was just a tad irresponsible and maybe took out too much on an equity loan?

[carlnga]

10:41 PM on 02/11/2012

have you ever stopped to think that maybe after 3 generations that home may have been in need of renovations,had to take out a mortage for medical bills or she lost money she had invested?

at 72 living on a fixed income, there are things such as property taxes and such as well. Maybe she had to take out a mortage to pay those as well. Have a little compassion, if you watch the video it does not look like she is living high on the hog.


Geeesh!

[jacquiwrites]

01:04 AM on 02/12/2012

You tell 'em! : )

[nonpolit123]

05:44 AM on 02/12/2012

Or maybe she refused to go on welfare.

[anilimili]

11:39 PM on 02/11/2012

Or...quite possibly, someone in that family was sick but could not get health insurance (because health insurance companies today can do whatever they can and charge however much they can because they are businesses first and have nothing to do with actually caring about health care--something that 'some people' have been trying to change; but others won't let them)--and they needed to refinance to pay for cancer treatments or heart surgery or knee replacement.

What is more likely is that it is the IRRESPONSIBLE laws that allow insurances to do whatever they want and exclude whomever they want and charge whatever they want; that caused a three-generation home to still have a morgage on it.
There are definitely plenty such stories I know of. And there are plenty who owned their home fair and square then LOST it because of a medical crisis that they could not pay for because they could not get health insurance.

[markinmissouri]

11:57 PM on 02/11/2012

YOU ALL make valid points. im in missouri and at one time they could take your house to pay for outrageous medical bills. something that should be taught in our schools and explained to many!!!!!!!!!!!! you need to OWN a home before you retire. recently a relative and his wife were approaching retirement age. shes in bad health but doing ok. they were still RENTING!!!!!! WTF???? renting in your 60s? that just wont work. even if you can live on SOC SEC. it wont keep up with rental increases. SO teach your kids OR anyone else to buy a home no matter what it is before they are 30. if you are 30 and buy, say a house. with a 30 year mortgage it will be paid off before you get SS. you also have equity as you pay. if you can swing a 15 year mortgage, thats WAY better. also paying your house payment 2x a month, say just half on the 1st and the other half on the 30th, will add an additional payment per year. it will knock off several years off your mortgage. GOOGLE it and see what im saying. it will save you LOTS of $$$$$. just trying to help ya all :)

[clarissa49]

08:53 PM on 02/11/2012

He is a very industrious 12-year old. I hope he keeps the mindset that leads to a good work ethic
as an adult.

[stampede334]

08:36 PM on 02/11/2012

Now that boy ought to run for the President when he grows up!!!! His grandmother is so lucky and blessed to have a wonderful grandson!!!!

[svvalkyrie]

11:13 PM on 02/11/2012

Yes, he already knows how to beg for and spend other peoples money.

[lynniebaker]

03:42 AM on 02/12/2012

Idiot.

[nonpolit123]

05:46 AM on 02/12/2012

I doubt he could be elected, too honest.

[Jessi Stayedo]

06:55 PM on 02/11/2012

Geese Thought Obama's plan was supposed to save people from this kinda stuff. A 12 yr old boy did what Obama can't do. Pretty Sad!

[JoanneRM]

08:29 PM on 02/11/2012

The Banks have been holding back the money from qualified home owners. Republicans in Congress have been fighting other plans to help home owners who went under water because of the Crash, Bank Fraud, and Fraud on Wall Street. Now, the deal made with many of the Big Banks who committed Robo-Fraud, has been settled; sates will get money to get new loans at lower rates for underwater homes, end foreclosures. Unfortunately, Republican Governors like Scott Walker of Wisconsin, is taking that money and filling the hole in his budget created by the tax cut he gave to rich people and Corporations earlier this year.

So when you are throwing darts at President Obama for economic shortcomings, look to the Republican Party first. They refuse to pass a tiny fee on Wall Street stock trading transactions to pay for worker's tax cuts, but Wall Street is flush with big cash. The top 1% of income earners, which is mostly people who make money off of money, and not off of the labor of anyone, pay a 15% tax rate or less, and not the 30% that you do. Your money smells as good as their's does; why do they only pay half the rate you do? Because the Republicans won't vote to equalize the tax rate, or even get close, or take away any of their write offs.

[clarissa49]

08:51 PM on 02/11/2012

Blah! Blah!

[anilimili]

11:41 PM on 02/11/2012

Amen. What you said.

[nonpolit123]

05:47 AM on 02/12/2012

Can't or won't do.

[christinamb88]

05:30 PM on 02/11/2012

My thinking is that good things happen to good people. People realized this young man had helped out others in need, so when his family needed the help they responded by giving. It is awsome to see young people learning how to give not just recieve.

[dolphingrl7]

09:16 PM on 02/11/2012

For some reason there is not "like" to click on for this article but thank you for your words - very well said !!!

[arobin3000]

05:25 PM on 02/11/2012

I am unsure why a woman at Janice Sparhawks' age would be facing foreclosure. Since the home had been in the family for 3 generations, mortgages must have been rewritten several times. I am fine with that, but was the refinancing approved under an honest criteria.," ability to pay", or just another commission for the lender. I know some of the Lenders were unscrupulous, but I also believe if the debtor agreed to pay, they are obligated to do so.

[peeowedaboutit2]

09:04 PM on 02/11/2012

Maybe she lost her job and her income, like 8 million other people did. Or, maybe her living expenses changed unexpectedly, like needing medication where she did'nt before. Your thinking is kind of narrowly focused.

[sylvi smith]

09:55 PM on 02/11/2012

Maybe shje needed money for medical reasons or for repairs, who cares, you missed the point. The point was about the young boy helping his grandmother.

[arobin3000]

10:06 PM on 02/11/2012

I certainly did not miss the point. I am happy that a grandson could help by setting up a charity for his grandmother. I am questioning why it was necessary to have a 12 year old go to such lengths. I have grandchildren and I can't imagine telling them I was going to lose my house, I would not put that on a child. Call me whatever you like, but it does not seem right to me.

[eveningswhisper]

05:11 PM on 02/11/2012

Nice story Grandma must be very proud of a fine young boy.