Hero plumber James Anderson wowed the Internet when he refused to take any form of payment from a 91-year-old woman suffering acute leukemia. And as it turns out, this act of kindness is just one of many from this modern-day Good Samaritan!
We're told to do all things to the glory of God (1 Corinthians 10:31). And in 2017, plumber James Anderson, who lives and works in England, took a leap of faith to do just that.
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God gave this family man a special heart for the elderly. And when he saw another business taking advantage of an elderly man, he just knew he had to do something.
So, James shut down his private business and opened his non-profit called Depher (which stands for Disabled & Elderly Plumbing & Heating Emergency Repair)!
The mission of Depher is to provide low-cost or free service to those in need.
"I don’t want any person who is elderly and disabled in this country, in this day and age, to die or suffer because of a cold home or a lack of funding to repair the boiler," plumber James Anderson explained. "It shouldn’t be happening – that number should be down to zero. Simple as that."
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Depher is the definition of a passion project. The non-profit relies solely on crowdfunding and donations to get the job done. In fact, James has even gone into debt because he refuses to turn his back on someone in need.
"To me, debt is debt… I would rather owe some money to somebody and another person be alive and happy and safe," he says. "It’s an ethos that’s in my heart and it will always stay there."
As much as he can, plumber James Anderson offers his services for free. And when funding is low, he still offers his plumbing services at a deeply discounted price. His goal isn't to make money for himself -- he just wants to help others.
"As long as I have enough money to fill up the tank in my car, I will be there to try and help the people who need it," the humble hero said.
Though James has been running Depher since 2017, it was his act of kindness for a 91-year-old woman that ended up making International news a few years later. And it left everyone in awe of the man one woman describes as an "angel dressed as a plumber."
The woman who said this is Christine Rowlands. And Christine's mother is the 91-year-old woman plumber James Anderson so selflessly served.
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James paid a visit to the woman's house to fix a broken boiler. But when it came time to charge the 91-year-old woman for his services, James presented her with a $0 bill.
His good deed gained viral attention when the invoice was shared online, reading, "No charge for this lady under any circumstances. We will be available 24 hours to help her and keep her as comfortable as possible."
Many hailed plumber James Anderson a hero after hearing of his generous mission. Praise and support has poured in from all around the world, much to the amazement of the humble plumber.
He received donations to help pay off his debts and fund future projects, along with offers to help advertise his services free of charge. Best of all, James said it started inspiring others to help the elderly in their own communities.
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"People are talking about doing it in America, France, and Australia, and they’re all going to contact me to get advice and guidance as to how to do it in their countries," James said. "Hopefully… we can bring all communities together for one common cause across the planet, so everybody who’s elderly and disabled, not just in the UK, can benefit from something like this in society."
Then, the global COVID-19 pandemic hit and even more people needed Depher's help!
There's no doubt plumber James Anderson has a huge heart. And when the coronavirus pandemic swept the globe, he realized a bigger calling for his services.
Originally, James and Depher focused on providing plumbing and heating assistance for the disabled and elderly. And over the years, he's helped more than 10,000 vulnerable families!
But as the impact of COVID-19 shook James' community, he expanded his services.
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During the pandemic, plumber James Anderson began providing food, PPE, and even paying bills for people. He's spent what equates to more than $70,000 US during the pandemic alone. But the humble hero says it's been "worth every penny" to help those in need.
“If you’ve got disabilities, issues, sometimes these things can become too difficult to overcome and we want to make sure they’re taken care of,” James said. “We’ve all got a social responsibility to each other – we need to be there for each other.”
The pandemic impacted plumber James Anderson personally, as he has battled and survived COVID-19 himself. He started the pandemic as "a healthy 52-year-old" working 70+ hours a week to serve those in need.
"Now he struggles to breathe or do normal things," reports the Depher GoFundMe page.
James' health battle means he's had to cut back tremendously on the hours he works. But Depher, the organization he's founded, has grown so much over the years, it is able to continue aiding the community without missing a beat!
"We know that he [James] will make a full recovery as soon as possible," an update on the GoFundMe page declares. "He has a loving family and God on his side."
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What an incredible story of just how much good can come from even just one act of kindness!
h/t: Metro UK
Featured Image: Instagram/Depher UK
Mel is the senior writer for GodUpdates, finding, writing and sharing Christian, uplifting, and health-related stories from around the world. Mel has a passion for writing and graduated with a degree in English from Randolph-Macon College in Virginia. When she’s not researching and writing stories, Mel is very active in her church. You can usually find Mel playing board games with her husband and two young girls, giving someone a hug, or hunting down a good cup of coffee!