HAMBURG TOWNSHIP – Ross Dahlberg admits his Hamburg Township home is too big for one person. But he says he wouldn’t want to be anywhere else – it’s the home he shared with his wife until the divorce two years ago.
“I cry a lot. I miss her,” Dahlberg said.
The split was tough on him. He eventually fell behind on mortgage payments and being in and out of the hospital didn’t help.
In March, Dahlberg’s home was foreclosed and sold at a sheriff’s auction.
Friday, Sept. 26 would have been the end of the six-month redemption period. Dahlberg and his beloved dog, Schatz, would have been out on the streets.
The story takes a turn with Josh Parish, a veterans benefits counselor with the Livingston County Veterans Services department. He gets many calls for help, but the one he got from Dahlberg six months ago was different.
“He called me around 8:05 a.m. on [March] 26th. He said they’re gonna sell my house at 10 a.m.,” Parish described the phone call.
Parish moved quickly. He started a GoFundMe page to raise money to buy back Dahlberg’s home. He then began to look for private investors.
A Brighton couple – Keli Murillo and Jay Bobel paid more than $143,000 to redeem the home and promised to keep Dahlberg as a permanent tenant. Bobel is the CEO of Northville-based Spartan Equities, a mortgage fund that helps people keep their foreclosed homes.
“Mr. Dahlberg’s staying in his home for the rest of his life,” Parish said.
Parish also secured funds and donations to spruce up Dahlberg’s home. Roofers were hard at work Friday as people cleaned the home inside. Parish said funds raised online will go toward paying Dahlberg’s backed up bills through a direct pay account.
“He’s done an incredible thing for me,” Dahlberg said of Parish.
“I’m suddenly relieved, and I’m happy, and the nightmare is over”
Dahlberg said he will enjoy many more years in his home and pursue a career in writing.
