Back in 2008, Nancy and Johnny “JK” Kenworthy were looking for a housekeeper and they had a guest unit attached to their home in Old Town.
They offered me an exchange of housekeeping services for the rent of the guest unit for my daughter, my husband and me. Time went by and I decided that the best option was to continue my life was as a single mom. My daughter became my pillar and my strength.
Nancy and JK were always by our side, giving much support and advice. As a single mother with no family in this country everything was very challenging. I always held on to the certainty that “Good things happen to good people.”
I was from Argentina on a J1 visa, and JK had developed a housing campus under the Jordanelle dam for J1’s, so when he asked if I wanted to go to Heber for a ride, I thought we were heading there.
On our way to Heber, JK talked about home ownership and how home mortgages worked here in America. He went on to say that the sooner you get into home ownership, the better my life would be here. He turned right and weaved behind the bowling alley in Heber, which led to a beautiful row of townhomes that backed up to open space. Of course I loved it but I had zero money and was going though a divorce.
Johnny “JK” Kenworthy walked me though the listed townhome and when we got to the basement, he said he thought I could rent just the basement portion of this home for the mortgage money. He suggested I get a couple of ladies to live here with me and Sophie and then I could even expand my solo housekeeping business too.
My head was spinning because I had no money and then he told me that Nancy and he had discussed it and they believed in me and they would loan me the whole down payment ($30,000 and do whatever else was needed to buy this beautiful townhome.
JK was sure that the interest rates we could get would be low enough so that the basement rental would cover the entire mortgage. He showed me the payments, including taxes and insurance.
I started to cry. No one in my life had ever believed in me except my mother who was back in Argentina. Now it sunk in, JK and Nancy were going to buy me a home and teach me how to make it work — as a single mother. Still today I cannot believe it, but it is true.
My daughter Sophie and I moved into the Heber townhome. Today, 17 years later, my new husband Max and our two boys live in this home, my home” and it is worth $600,000-700,000. Johnny “JK” and Nancy are my big angels.
Johnny “JK’ and Nancy, the community knows and loves you. You see us, you care, and unlike anyone I have ever known you take action.
I am now working for Park City High School as the school’s outreach coordinator and working on my master’s in social work. I work directly with the students giving them all the resources to provide them for a successful life. No one would have ever known how Johnny “JK” and Nancy have blessed my life if I didn’t take this opportunity to share how beautiful Nancy and Johnny “JK” are.
I pray and hope that Johnny “JK” and Nancy see my life as promised — to pay their kindness and support forward.
Vanina Torreyra
Heber City