I worked as a nurse at CHOC Children’s Hospital for 12 years. During that time, I rented a property for 10 years as a single mom raising my young child. Unfortunately, the property was severely neglected by the owner, a doctor at Saint Joseph Hospital. Unbeknownst to me, mold was growing under the house and inside the walls. Despite multiple complaints, the owner refused to fix anything and even brought in professionals to falsely claim there was no mold.
All four units on the property experienced mold issues, cockroach infestations, and persistent sewage odors. The neglect was so severe that mushrooms were growing in the bathroom. When I continued to push for repairs, the owner attempted to evict me.
Thankfully, a friend who owned a restoration company helped me gather the evidence I needed. Meanwhile, my son and I were suffering serious health issues. He had recurring fevers over 104°F, requiring constant emergency room visits. I had to feed him through a syringe, and he endured two ear surgeries due to infections that nearly caused hearing loss. He also suffered from allergies, eczema, red eyes, high fevers, rashes, and cold and flu-like symptoms. I experienced severe hair loss, chronic fatigue, depression, anxiety, migraines, skin breakouts, irregular menstrual cycles, weight gain, and loss of taste. Even our pets were affected—our dog had diarrhea and vomiting, and our bird died.
While battling these health issues, I also faced an attempted eviction and a custody battle. It was an overwhelming time in my life. After saving enough money, I was finally able to move out—but at a cost. I had to throw away all my furniture and belongings due to mold contamination.
Even eight years later, I still suffer from some lingering mold-related symptoms. Thankfully, my son has fully recovered. This experience led me to start my own mold testing company, 911 Certified Mold Testing LLC. My business was born out of a deep passion to help others avoid the nightmare I went through. I strive to educate people on the dangers of toxic mold and ensure they have the knowledge and resources to protect their health and homes.
