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Mortgage Forgiven After 90-Year-Old Shoots Herself

Fannie Mae dismisses foreclosure action after House hears of woman's plight

By Rob Quinn,  Newser Staff

Posted Oct 4, 2008 6:06 AM CDT

(Newser) – Fannie Mae will let 90-year-old Addie Polk keep her house and forgive her mortgage, the Akron Beacon-Journal reports. The widow shot herself in the chest Wednesday as deputies arrived to evict her from her home of 40 years. Rep. Dennis Kucinich raised the Ohio woman's plight in the House yesterday morning as members prepared to vote on the bailout bill and by afternoon the foreclosure action was dismissed.

"Just given the circumstances, we think it's appropriate," a Fannie Mae spokesman said. Polk, who is in the hospital and expected to recover from the apparent suicide attempt, had taken out several loans on her house after the original mortgage was paid off in 1982. Her husband died in 1992. "She said it was a crazy thing to do, now that she's had time to think about it,'' a neighbor said. ''You know, the good Lord works in different ways. Maybe what's happened to her will help a lot of other seniors in this country.''

A neighbor points to Addie Polk's Akron home.
A neighbor points to Addie Polk's Akron home.   (BlackTubeChannel)
Rep. Dennis Kucinich, D-Ohio, walks  through Statuary Hall on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, Oct. 2, 2008.
Rep. Dennis Kucinich, D-Ohio, walks through Statuary Hall on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, Oct. 2, 2008.   (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)
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Fannie Mae said it will set aside the loan of a woman who shot herself as sheriff's deputies tried to evict her from her foreclosed home.   (bfeems)

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This bill does nothing for the Addie Polks of the world. This bill fails to address the fact that millions of homeowners are facing foreclosure, are facing the loss of their home.
- Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio)

The bottom line is there are a lot of other people out there that need help too. We have to find a way to help people and make sure they are not driven to taking drastic measures.
- Akron City Council President Marco Sommerville

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