Lexington police officer surprises woman with home renovation

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WKYT) – There was a large police presence at a Lexington home Thursday morning, but not for a reason you might expect.

Officer Ryan Holland, with the community’s help, surprised a Lexington woman with a home makeover.

Just a few months ago, Sylvania Bell’s home was what Officer Holland calls “unliveable.”

“You could jump up and down on this floor like a trampoline the whole house would bounce,” Holland said.

Since then, $90,000 worth of renovations transformed the home Bell has lived in her whole life.

“I just hope that she knows that she’s cared for,” said Officer Holland. “People in this community love her and she’s got a safe house now.”

From floor to ceiling, everything in the home has been replaced. Before, Bell used anything she could to prevent her old roof from leaking, even tacking sheet pans to the ceiling.

“Those are for baking, not putting on your ceiling no more,” said Holland.

Now, Bell is back in her newly restored home, just in time for Christmas.

“Oh, it’s beautiful. Oh, I just love everything. I ain’t never been so happy in my life,” said Bell.

Through Officer Holland’s nonprofit organization, Restore Hope, Holland has been able to help many community members. He says he hopes to help even more in the future.

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