An elderly woman, Eileen Stukane, was shocked to uncover her cousin’s hoarding tendencies when she inherited his house. The discovery of Bob Stukane’s death, which had occurred nine months prior, came unexpectedly while Eileen and her sister were researching their family history online. After learning that she had inherited Bob’s suburban home in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Eileen was taken aback by the appalling condition of the property, filled with decades of decaying clutter and grime.
Bob, 67, had been struggling with hoarding for many years, starting after a traumatic incident in the 1980s and exacerbated by a serious car accident later on. Despite not having spoken to Bob for over a year before his passing, Eileen embarked on a mission to restore order to the three-bedroom, two-bathroom house. Reflecting on the experience, Eileen emphasized the deep sense of isolation that often accompanies hoarding behavior, asserting that hoarders do not willingly choose to live in such conditions.
In her book titled “The House that Held Everything,” Eileen vividly recounts her efforts to clear out the cluttered home in Philadelphia. At 71 years old during the cleanup, she expressed her frustration at Bob for distancing himself from their family and erasing their presence following his struggles. Despite the availability of funds in Bob’s accounts to hire a hoarding clearance company, Eileen took it upon herself to oversee the transformation of the property.
Eileen’s compassionate approach extended to organizing a burial for Bob at a local church several months after his death, where she honored his memory and laid his “nomadic soul” to rest beside his parents. By sharing her story, Eileen hopes to shed light on the challenges faced by hoarders and the importance of addressing mental health issues associated with hoarding. The estimated prevalence of hoarding disorder in the UK, affecting 2-5% of the population, underscores the significance of raising awareness and providing support for individuals grappling with this condition.