When Ricardo Morales walked into Karen and Craig Geohagan’s Fort Walton Beach home in late March, he knew immediately the longtime congregation members couldn’t stay there another day.

• The roof, damaged from fallen tree limbs, was covered with multiple tarps that only minimized water intrusion. Inside, black mold had spread throughout the house, creating dangerous living conditions for the couple who were both recovering from serious medical procedures.

“I came home that afternoon and showed my wife those pictures and I said, we have to get them out of that house immediately,” said Morales, Missions Lead at Fort Walton Beach Church of Christ. “They most likely would be dead — just from the amount of black mold that was starting to grow and progressed through the house.”

The Geohagans, longtime members of church on Hollywood Boulevard, had endured a devastating series of health crises over the previous three years. Craig underwent brain tumor surgery, followed by their oldest son’s death about 1.5 years ago. Karen had an emergency quadruple bypass in December 2024, and Craig lost his leg to diabetes complications in May.

“They were at their lowest point and they just had no hope of solutions,” said DeAnna Morales, the church’s Outreach Coordinator and Ricardo’s wife. “They had given up.”

• The couple’s financial situation had deteriorated alongside their health. Years of medical bills led to collections, credit card debt and three years of back taxes. Neither Craig nor Karen had been taught financial responsibility, leaving them unable to manage mounting obligations.

Community mobilizes

On a Sunday in late March, the church congregation gathered and decided to act. By Monday, they were moving the Geohagans out. 

• Shannon Johnson, a church member, offered his rental property at a reduced rate while the congregation worked to find a permanent solution. Members donated furniture, kitchen items and other necessities since nothing could be salvaged from the mold-contaminated house.

“We knew from the condition of the home that there was no way that they could take stuff out of it,” DeAnna said. “It would just bring the problem with them.”

The church enlisted multiple contractors to evaluate whether the house could be repaired. Clint Aden, Vice President of Community Bank and a licensed general contractor, determined that mold remediation alone would be a major expense. Bringing the house up to code would cost nearly twice what a new home would cost.

“It was in bad, bad shape,” DeAnna said. 

Financial foundation

Before addressing housing, the church focused on stabilizing the Geohagans’ finances. Galen Miller, a church member, worked with the couple through the church’s Financial Peace University program, helping them create a budget and address their debts.

• The church assisted with paying back taxes, settling collections and reducing credit card debt. By August, their credit rating had improved enough to qualify for a mortgage. 

“We really didn’t say, you have to do this,” DeAnna said. “We wanted them to believe that whatever solution, it was their choice. We didn’t want to make them feel like they got forced into this thing.”

The couple explored multiple options, including assisted living, before deciding to build on their property, which held decades of family memories including those of their late son. 

Local businesses step up

Mike Fleischman, a local businessman, provided demolition services at a reduced rate. When Ricardo Morales drove past Kodiak Tree Service while traveling to Niceville, he stopped to inquire about clearing the heavily wooded lot.

• The company initially estimated $7,500 to $8,000 for the work. After hearing the Geohagans’ story, Ben Johnson and his partner at Kodiak reduced the price to $3,500.

“He said something like, ‘I think we found it,’” Ricardo said, referring to the company’s morning prayer about serving the community. So it’s half the cost.”

The Geohagans selected a manufactured home from Affordable Homes in Crestview. While traditional lenders offered rates between 7.5% and 10.5% for 20 to 30 years, Community Bank provided financing at 6.5% for 15 years on the $89,000 loan.

“I was blown away,” Ricardo said. “They are supporting the community and they wanted to use this opportunity to serve the community as well.”

New beginning

The manufactured home arrived on the cleared lot mid December. Tom Marler has volunteered to build a handicap ramp and deck to accommodate Craig’s mobility needs. The church is targeting the second week of January for move-in, followed by a housewarming celebration.

• The transformation in the Geohagans’ outlook has been dramatic. After his amputation, Craig told the Moraleses he would “lay here and die on this couch.” By September, when they signed papers for the house, his attitude had shifted.

“He was like, ‘I’m going to get through my PT and get this,’” DeAnna said. “He said, I’m going to get it fit right and I’m gonna go back to work.”

Craig, who hadn’t attended church since his surgery, returned the second Sunday after moving out of the mold-filled house. Karen, who was named Bruner’s Educational Support Person of the Year in 2024, has shown similar improvement. 

“I cannot tell you their attitudes from April, the day we moved them out, to today,” DeAnna said. “They’re recovering well and they’re coming to church regularly. You can see them and the difference in their attitudes has just been tremendous.”

Faith in action

The Moraleses, who have led mission work in Ecuador for 25 years, said the project reflected their church’s commitment to the biblical model of the early Christian community sharing resources.

• “Jesus’s ministry was about helping people first, about telling them about the kingdom of God, second,” Ricardo said. “His greatest command that he set before he went home to his Father was to love God with all your heart and then love each other like I have loved you.”

The church hopes sharing the story will encourage others facing similar struggles to seek help earlier and inspire community support for neighbors in need.

“What we believe is that things good, bad, ugly, everything is going to happen,” DeAnna said. “God is the one making good out of them, and that’s what we would like to see and show other people — that when you’re part of a church family and you have that belief in God, He is going to be there in those bad times.”

The church regularly hosts Share Fest each March, where members donate gently used items that community members can take for free, and conducts a fall food drive. This year’s food drive was particularly well-attended due to government shutdowns affecting food assistance programs.

• “We wanted to share this story with the community because we know that they’re not the only ones out there like this and people don’t know,” DeAnna said.

For the Geohagans, the new home includes a lifetime warranty, which the church helped them budget for, along with homeowners insurance they previously lacked.

“We’re doing this for you so that you can help someone else along the way,” DeAnna told them. “If you are on your solid ground, then you’re going to be able to help somebody else.”