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Sextuplets' family in danger of losing home; Emergency payment delays foreclosure as Harrises struggle
10/05/02
Val Waton
News staff writer
An emergency payment Friday will keep the parents of Alabama's first sextuplets from losing their Center Point home. For now.
But Diamond Harris, who gave birth on July 7 to two girls and four boys, and her husband, Christopher Harris, are in financial straits and were only able to delay a foreclosure sale of their three-bedroom, three-bath home that was planned for Monday. The couple was a double-income family until Diamond developed complications during her pregnancy.
They were notified Sept. 12 that the home would be sold on the steps of the Jefferson County Courthouse. The family lawyer, Lawrence Cooper, said the Harrises are more than $5,000 behind on payments to CitiMortgage Inc. but a Friday payment of $1,440 pooled together by relatives put the sale off.
Efforts to reach CitiMortgage were unsuccessful Friday. A representative of its law firm, Shapiro & Tucker, said it could not discuss the matter.
The couple still must pay monthly mortgage notes of about $900 for three months, Cooper said. After that time, the mortgage company will consider restructuring the loan at a lower interest rate, hopefully with lower monthly payments, Cooper said.
The Harrises remain fearful they have only a temporary fix for the situation as they prepare to bring the rest of their six babies home. Three babies remain at University Hospital. They also have a 7-year-old son. Insurance has paid most of the cost for the pregnancy and the births.
"Our prayer is to stay in our home," Christopher Harris said in an interview. "We're putting a Band-Aid on a really, really bad situation. My main fear is: We're OK now, but what about the future? We're trusting in God. We're thankful for family. It's not something we went out to do. We didn't mean to get into this situation. We tried to prepare for it, but there are some thing's you just can't prepare for."
Harris said the family has been living off his $29,000 teacher salary and earnings as a part-time tutor. His wife had worked as a licensed practical nurse but had to quit last winter because of pregnancy complications. At one point, she nearly lost her life, Harris said. "There was no way she could work."
At that time, he said, steps were taken to notify their mortgage company to get special consideration for financial hardship.
Harris said it was around May when they really became delinquent with the mortgage. During this time, Harris said, a vehicle was repossessed.
The babies' birth received national attention, garnering publicity and offers of assistance from the community, which they called a blessing. Wal-Mart donated six baby beds and bedding, three playpens and six infant rockers. Bruno's, Kmart and Babies R Us have sent gift certificates. The Serra Automotive Group donated a van. They also received diaper donations and several items were placed in collection bins at Food World.
Harris said he and his wife have been hesitant to go public with their financial struggle until they faced Friday's emergency situation.
"We are real proud people," Harris said. "It's hard to ask for help. Sometimes you have to swallow your pride."
"If you're used to living with a dual-income family, and all of a sudden you have one income taken and six new mouths to feed, that's pressure," Cooper said. "I recognize it's nobody's fault and you're responsible for yourself, but as a country and as a society we should be in the position of helping people who are trying to help themselves and that's what it's all about."
Harris said that when they bought their house in March 2001, he and his wife both had jobs. She worked full-time at a nursing home and also had a part-time job. He said they had lived in an apartment in the neighborhood before deciding to buy their home, which he calls a "godsend."
"We felt as if we were stable, young, at the right age," Harris said. "We wanted a baby. We were working to the future. You could say we were at our pinnacle."
Court records show the home's sale price at $105,000 and that they undertook an FHA loan of $103,794.
Harris said he and his wife decided to have a baby. Instead, they have six. They have converted a room in their basement to their bedroom. Harris said he has had to quit his part-time job to help out with the babies.
Harris said he is hopeful that the other three babies will be released from the hospital in time to have Thanksgiving at their home.
10/05/02
Val Waton
News staff writer
An emergency payment Friday will keep the parents of Alabama's first sextuplets from losing their Center Point home. For now.
But Diamond Harris, who gave birth on July 7 to two girls and four boys, and her husband, Christopher Harris, are in financial straits and were only able to delay a foreclosure sale of their three-bedroom, three-bath home that was planned for Monday. The couple was a double-income family until Diamond developed complications during her pregnancy.
They were notified Sept. 12 that the home would be sold on the steps of the Jefferson County Courthouse. The family lawyer, Lawrence Cooper, said the Harrises are more than $5,000 behind on payments to CitiMortgage Inc. but a Friday payment of $1,440 pooled together by relatives put the sale off.
Efforts to reach CitiMortgage were unsuccessful Friday. A representative of its law firm, Shapiro & Tucker, said it could not discuss the matter.
The couple still must pay monthly mortgage notes of about $900 for three months, Cooper said. After that time, the mortgage company will consider restructuring the loan at a lower interest rate, hopefully with lower monthly payments, Cooper said.
The Harrises remain fearful they have only a temporary fix for the situation as they prepare to bring the rest of their six babies home. Three babies remain at University Hospital. They also have a 7-year-old son. Insurance has paid most of the cost for the pregnancy and the births.
"Our prayer is to stay in our home," Christopher Harris said in an interview. "We're putting a Band-Aid on a really, really bad situation. My main fear is: We're OK now, but what about the future? We're trusting in God. We're thankful for family. It's not something we went out to do. We didn't mean to get into this situation. We tried to prepare for it, but there are some thing's you just can't prepare for."
Harris said the family has been living off his $29,000 teacher salary and earnings as a part-time tutor. His wife had worked as a licensed practical nurse but had to quit last winter because of pregnancy complications. At one point, she nearly lost her life, Harris said. "There was no way she could work."
At that time, he said, steps were taken to notify their mortgage company to get special consideration for financial hardship.
Harris said it was around May when they really became delinquent with the mortgage. During this time, Harris said, a vehicle was repossessed.
The babies' birth received national attention, garnering publicity and offers of assistance from the community, which they called a blessing. Wal-Mart donated six baby beds and bedding, three playpens and six infant rockers. Bruno's, Kmart and Babies R Us have sent gift certificates. The Serra Automotive Group donated a van. They also received diaper donations and several items were placed in collection bins at Food World.
Harris said he and his wife have been hesitant to go public with their financial struggle until they faced Friday's emergency situation.
"We are real proud people," Harris said. "It's hard to ask for help. Sometimes you have to swallow your pride."
"If you're used to living with a dual-income family, and all of a sudden you have one income taken and six new mouths to feed, that's pressure," Cooper said. "I recognize it's nobody's fault and you're responsible for yourself, but as a country and as a society we should be in the position of helping people who are trying to help themselves and that's what it's all about."
Harris said that when they bought their house in March 2001, he and his wife both had jobs. She worked full-time at a nursing home and also had a part-time job. He said they had lived in an apartment in the neighborhood before deciding to buy their home, which he calls a "godsend."
"We felt as if we were stable, young, at the right age," Harris said. "We wanted a baby. We were working to the future. You could say we were at our pinnacle."
Court records show the home's sale price at $105,000 and that they undertook an FHA loan of $103,794.
Harris said he and his wife decided to have a baby. Instead, they have six. They have converted a room in their basement to their bedroom. Harris said he has had to quit his part-time job to help out with the babies.
Harris said he is hopeful that the other three babies will be released from the hospital in time to have Thanksgiving at their home.
