Multimillionaire director, playwright and philanthropist Tyler Perry will open his checkbook to help a family facing eviction — if he can find someone to make the check out to.
Xernna Nieves and her family returned hone from a Make-A-Wish event to find an eviction notice on her door. It was one of several eviction notices Nieves has received while living at the Ashley Woods Apartments in Henry County, GA.
Make-A-Wish paid for Nieves, her 16-year-old son John Williams, and his siblings to travel to Chicago to meet John’s idol, NBA Chicago Bulls star Derrick Rose.
John has Aplastic Anemia, a condition in which the bone marrow does not make enough blood cells — putting John at risk for potentially fatal infections.
The Make-A-Wish foundation paid for the family’s plane tickets, hotel and transportation around Chicago.
“I felt like I was a celebrity with him,” John said.
But all the while, Nieves knew she didn’t pay her rent for March and April.
She admitted she has had trouble paying her rent after losing her job two years ago.
Despite her money troubles, Nieves says the apartment manager always worked with her in the past. But that was before the family flew to Chicago on an all-expenses paid trip.
“I was told that corporate office told her not to accept any more rent money from us,” Nieves said.
Nieves says her son’s illness prevents her from finding a better situation for her family.
“I don’t have access to public transportation. I don’t have a car. I can’t get around,” Nieves said.
She said she doesn’t receive child support for her four children. The family will be forced to move to a homeless shelter if they are evicted.
“I have no place to go. I really have no place to go,” she told Channel 2’s Jade Hernandez Monday evening.
Tyler Perry saw the family’s plight on WSB-TV Channel 2 Action News and offered to help by paying one year’s rent.
“Thank you. Thank you for watching the news when you did,” Nieves said.
But Perry told Hernandez he was unable to reach the office manager. Hernandez spoke with the manager by phone, but she refused to comment on Nieves’ situation.
The sheriff’s office has already scheduled Nieves’ eviction for Tuesday morning.
