1307 W Beech , Urbana. See images on Flickr.

The Cornelius Family: Ten Years Later

Lynn Cornelius greets you with a warm hug.  It’s the kind of warmth that comes from an inner strength and sense of peace.  She speaks with great ease about her struggle with alcoholism and the journey of her life. 

Lynn, her husband Lovester and their children lost everything in 1991 when their home burnt down.  Photo albums, baby books and family heirlooms were taken by the fire.  It was devastating.

The Cornelius family moved into the projects at Lakeside Terrace, paying $500 a month in rent.  Lynn and Lovester hoped there would soon be a better life ahead, but Lynn was consumed by alcoholism.  She had to have a drink to get out of bed, several to get through the day and was completely incapacitated by the evening.

www.flickr.com habitatchampaign's 98 Cornelius Carle photoset

While times were difficult, Lovester stood by her and prayed that she would stop drinking.  Eventually, Lynn’s body completely shut down and she was facing death.  She was lying in her hospital bed, wondering if she would live when God told her that her time on earth was not finished.  She realized she needed to live to take care of her children, see them grow up and have babies of their own.  And she was not yet ready to leave Lovester. 

She went through detox in 1993, left the hospital and has never had a drink since. 

Not long after she was clean, she and Lovester learned about the local Habitat for Humanity.  She attended an informational meeting where she learned that homeowners had to put in sweat equity towards their home.  Lynn volunteered her time on Habitat home builds in hopes that she would eventually be selected for a home.  For two years, she and Lovester spent every Saturday on Habitat home build sites.  They learned how to put up siding, install dry wall and paint.  Together, they helped build a total of three homes and continued to put time in to help others, all the while picturing a better life for themselves.  They dreamt of getting out of the projects and having stability for their children.  With great ease and confidence, Lynn says “I had it in my heart that we would get a Habitat house.” 

Lynn and Lovester had just completed work on their third Habitat home, when they found out they were selected for the next Habitat home build, with Carle Foundation Hospital.  After five years of being sober, the Cornelius family moved into their Habitat home.  Lynn’s life had come full circle.  She has been sober since 1993 and has lived to see her kids become adults.  She and Lovester are currently enjoying being grandparents in their beautiful home.