[music playing]
I'm Nora, a retired medical professional,
and I'm a collector.
I'm a collector of everything.
I collect cuckoo clocks.
Owls, I collect owls.
Lamps, sleepwear.
I'm one for a lot of Victoria's Secret sleepwear .
And I can't even tell you everything
that's under the pile.
I just know it's things that I've collected over the years.
You cannot walk through rooms.
The stove is piled up to where I cannot cook on it.
The sinks are piled up to where I can't get
even any water out of the sink.
I'm Sheila, and Nora is my sister.
The last time I was in Nora's home was over 13 years ago.
She will not allow you even to visit or stop by.
And if you continue to ask, she becomes very upset
and asks, why are you assuming that I am a hoarder?
I'm Verlie, and I am Nora's sister.
There's been days where I can't get hold of my sister
for, like, a day and a half on the phone.
Yes, I'm worried about her.
[music playing]
About 30 years ago, her son Kevin was
diagnosed with a brain tumor.
And he lived about eight years with it.
They stopped life support 5:30 [choking back sobs]
in the evening, so.
And that's when my life ended.
Not a day goes by that I don't think of Kevin.
When Kevin passed away, that's when the things
started accumulating.
Every time I would buy a set of something,
I would buy a set for him.
It was almost a feeling that Kevin was going to come back.
[music playing]
SHEILA: She's so attached to these items that taking them
away is like reliving Kevin's death.
It really is.
She's told us she does not want to get rid of anything.
She doesn't have anything to get rid of.
And she will die first in the home before she
parts with them.
If Nora's not able to get rid of any of her things
and refuses help, then we have to call protective services.
NORA: I said, you best not do anything like that.
I'm not hoarding anything.
I'm collecting things, and I love my collectibles.
And I'm going to keep collecting them.
SHEILA: I'm very concerned that my sister will die in the home,
and no one will be there with her.
[music playing]
CORY CHALMERS: Nora, we were told you wanted
to talk to us this morning.
My name's Cory Chalmers.
I'm an extreme cleaner specializing
in biohazard and hoarding.
I had some very exciting news later last night.
My nephew, Sheila's son, who's in the military--
he's a Naval officer--
is coming home.
And he asked last night could he come to my house
and visit a few days.
So we got to get moving today.
MICHAEL TOMPKINS: Well, I love that.
I'm serious.
I love that.
CORY CHALMERS: Well, good.
Let's do it.
Let's get going.
Donate.
Yep.
Donate, donate.
Donate.
Cookbooks, donate.
CORY CHALMERS: Things are going great so far.
She's letting the sisters make decisions while she
hangs out in the tent.
Keep.
[music playing]
Decide on one of them?
Would that be OK?
I just bought those for my car or something.
Throw them in a keep box.
Keep.
Oh, I know where all this stuff goes.
Moving things.
I'll go back in the house and place this later.
MICHELLE: It's been kind of slow going.
At this rate, it would take weeks, if not months,
to go through everything.
[music playing]
[gags]
Gagging.
I have to stop.
Ugh!
Odor is very foul and lingering.
[hyperventilating]
What's wrong?
[sobbing]
Oh my gosh.
CORY CHALMERS: You can't do this to yourself, OK?
I understand how you're feeling, but you
can't beat yourself up, OK?
You can't go back.
There's nothing you can do to go back.
MICHAEL TOMPKINS: There she is.
We're just talking--
NORA: You all are throwing too much stuff away out there.
Is that right?
The donate boxes?
NORA: Yes.
[sobbing]
What's the matter?
Verlie's upset.
About what?
Oh, I'm just feeling sad and guilty
because when I let you come home from my house,
I didn't know it was like this.
Well, don't feel sad.
Feel happy that you're able to help me now.
OK.
Are you OK with us helping you, though, now?
Yeah, I'm OK.
I just-- I'm sorry you're going through this--
No, I just love you.
I love you, too, sweetie.
[sighs]
[music playing]
What'd you-- well, wait a minute.
Did you find those binoculars?
They're expensive, and I'm selling them.
There should have been a little pair.
What are you looking for?
My binoculars.
NORA: If they were in a-- if they were in the case,
we never took them out.
They're $2,000.
Where are they?
NORA: I know those binoculars in there.
I know that I could sell them within a day,
and I know what I can get out for it because I've got
the receipt of what I paid for.
CORY CHALMERS: I feel like we're going back to yesterday
afternoon when you started to check out
and you started to get stressed, and I
don't want to do that to you.
So I need to make sure your head's still in this
and you still really want us to help.
NORA: It is.
I just don't want $4,000, $5,000, $6,000 worth
thrown away either.
CORY CHALMERS: Dr. Tompkins has some work to do.
He's got to sit down with her and see if we can't proceed.
But at this point, it's not looking good.
What were your concerns, Nora, when you went into the house?
That things will be thrown away
or have been thrown away or donated which
I would not have permitted.
[music playing]
CORY CHALMERS: There was an entire apartment building that
burned down a couple of cities over,
and 48 families were homeless.
Yeah?
They're going to come and get all this
and give it to all those families.
Does that help just knowing that these families are getting it?
Oh, this makes me happy.
It really does.
That's what we like to hear.
Yeah.
[music playing]
NORA: When I was in second grade, our home burned down,
so I know how devastating that is.
And I just want to give whatever we can to these victims.
[music playing]
CORY CHALMERS: And I just want to really applaud you.
I mean, I think they took 75 boxes away,
which for me is a record.
And hopefully, that'll motivate you to let go of even
more tomorrow morning, OK?
Because that's the last we have.
Tomorrow morning's it.
[music playing]
Let's go.
Can we donate this?
It's a curtain.
[music playing]
Where am I?
[laughs]
NORA: When I walked in the front door,
it felt like I was in a dream.
I just couldn't believe it was my home.
This means so much to me.
I can't-- [sobs].
SHEILA: It actually looked like someone waved a magic wand.
It brought us all to tears.
When Kevin was alive, this space was filled
with love, caring, kindness.
Then we lost Kevin, and you filled the space
around your heart with things.
So what brought us here was to bring love
and caring back in your life.
It feels like there's been some weight
lifted off of my heart.
I mean that.
I mean that with all my heart.
MICHAEL TOMPKINS: Now Nora can create new memories
of love and caring.
And it was there.
It was right there in the room.
You could see it.