PORTSMOUTH, Va. - The Christmas decorations still glisten inside the home of Charlie and Cindy Silverthorne, but their Christmas had a unexpected ending.
"We went to my daughters for Christmas even dinner and came home and house was cold," said Cindy Silverthorne.
The heater inside their small mobile home in Portsmouth had given out, during a time when the weather was not toasty.
"The thermostat in the back reads about 41, 42 something like that," said Charlie.
Sitting with layers, gloves and sweaters on, the Silverthorne’s are looking to thaw out.
"We can't go to a store to get warm because we don't want to be around the public," they said.
The couple both suffer from COPD and other disabilities, so going some place to gain a little heat is not an option.
"We live in trailer and the trailer seems to hold the cold in as soon as you open the door it sucks the heat out," Cindy said.
Friends and family have donated small space heaters and they are keeping their oven on, but it’s simply not cutting through the cold.
The couple is also on a fixed income and the heater cost more than $3,000 to fix. As an unfavorable year comes to an end, this couple is hoping someone will bring them the favor of warmth as 2020 comes to a close.
"God bless them if someone can help us out, it would be a Christmas miracle," said Cindy.
Just Hope a non profit in Portsmouth is working to help the couple, if you are able to assist, contact them at contactus@justhopeva.org.