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Woman Sends Letter To CBS 2 Sharing Her Struggle In Finding Place To Live; A Social Worker Is Also Stepping Up For Her

CHICAGO (CBS) -- Here at CBS 2, we always welcome your news tips by phone, email, or regular mail – and that is just how this story came to us.

We received a letter from a Chicago woman searching for a place to live - taking a chance that someone reading it can help.

As CBS 2's Marie Saavedra reported, one reading of that letter that arrived at CBS 2 was enough for us to know we wanted to meet its author.

"My name is Annette Lloyd," Lloyd read from her letter. "I had three strokes in one day, and at the present time, I am homeless."

Lloyd put her pain of the last year on paper.

"I've been through a lot," Lloyd said. "I mean, to hell and back."

Those strokes robbed Lloyd of the ease of walking, even though she is trying to build up her strength. Lloyd says her last landlord abandoned the property, so her belongings are in bags and bins next to where she sleeps - the couch at her sister-in-law's.

She wants that to change.

"All I know is for Christmas, I would love to be in a place I call home, and in a new bed fit for a queen," Lloyd read from her letter.

Lloyd became emotional as she added: "The most important part of this is that I miss my grandkids. I've got a 3-year old granddaughter, and she always goes, 'Mommy, I want to come to your house.' And I don't have a house for her to come to."

Make no mistake - Lloyd herself has put in a lot of work trying to find a place to live. Now she has some additional help from her social worker.

"Right off the bat, she made the like super-courageous decision to share her story with me," said Carol Sperl.

Sperl sees Lloyd weekly when she comes in for dialysis at Fresenius Kidney Care. When she joined the search, she found the housing options limited at best - and inaccessible at worst.

"She needed a wheelchair-accessible home. She needed that first level, ground level , or someplace that always has a working elevator," Sperl said, "and that believe it or not, that does cut out a lot of the already limited options."

But Sperl hasn't given up.

"Until we can find a place for her, I'm in this with her," she said.

Lloyd hasn't given up either. She hopes what she wrote finds the right person who can find her the right place.

"And I was like, you know, if there's a God, you know, He's shining this light, and somebody's going to come across this letter," Lloyd said.

If you or anyone you know might have some promising leads for Annette Lloyd, we'd love to pass them along. You can reach us via email anytime at cbschicagotips@cbs.com.

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