Brenda Daurham, an 81-year-old woman is facing a nightmare she never saw coming. After spending over 30 years protecting her Markham home and faithfully paying for homeowners insurance for more than four decades, she now finds herself displaced, heartbroken, and fighting to save the house she loves.
The trouble began on February 14 when a pipe beneath her kitchen sink burst, sending water rushing through her home. Daurham says she reached out to Allstate immediately, and according to her, they assured her that “everything was covered. I didn’t have to worry about a thing.”
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Trusting that guidance, Daurham allowed Excel Fire and Water Damage Restoration Services to move in and begin the necessary mitigation work. But instead of the relief she was promised, she got a devastating denial. Allstate refused to pay the claim, citing policy exclusions related to “wear and tear, deterioration and seepage.”
Now, six months later, Daurham is living in limbo. To make matters worse, the restoration company has placed a nearly $18,000 lien on her property.
“I have nothing, nothing at all, so I just want somebody to help me,” Daurham said through tears. “I had to go to the emergency room Monday because I was breaking down. I was so nervous I didn’t know what to do.”
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Enter Tyler Perry. After the story went viral, the entertainment mogul stepped in to champion Daurham’s cause. Posting the story to his Instagram, Perry called out the insurance giant directly: “Hey Allstate step to the front real quick. This woman is 81 years old. You call this being in good hands?”
He followed up with a message that brought a glimmer of hope to the situation, declaring that help is officially on the way.