Terminally ill tenant’s wish for apartment repairs comes true

CHESTERFIELD, Va. (WWBT) - A Chesterfield woman has a much nicer apartment to enjoy during her final days.

Queen Ann Ray, 88, is dying of cancer and says she was struggling to get management at Crystal Lakes Apartments to renovate her place. After her, On Your Side story aired, Ray says crews came in and spruced it up.

Ray says she’s happier now than she’s ever been. When your life expectancy is just a few weeks to live, it’s nice to look around and be happy where you are.

“Oh my God. It’s like 100 percent different in here. It smells different in here too,” Ray says.

Ray’s apartment is now clear and clean, as the dirt and stains on her carpet or the grimy door and walls are gone.

The management company did not paint the entire apartment, but apparently it’s still what Ray needs as she nears the end of her life. A better-looking place to live out the rest of her life.

Crystal Lakes Apartments painted doors, shampooed the carpet, repaired a bathroom plumbing problem, and installed window blinds.

“I’m not afraid to die. I’m not afraid of what’s going to happen because what’s going to happen will happen. They did a beautiful job so far. Get rid of these bugs then I’ll be happy. My last days I can sit in my kitchen and have me a sandwich without a cockroach crawling on my leg or my feet," Ray said.

Except for a recent ceiling collapse repair, Ray says her apartment has never been painted in the eight years she says she’s lived here. Ray called 12 On Your Side for help when she didn’t get a response to a notarized letter to her landlord. Crystal Lakes Apartments property manager did not discuss specifics when Investigator Diane Walker was there, but she did say they responded to Ray’s repair requests and that she did not receive a notarized letter.

A few days after that visit, maintenance showed up at Ray’s apartment to work.

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