Cindy Mullins was a healthy 41-year-old mom of two when she went into the hospital on Dec. 1, 2023 for an elective procedure to remove kidney stones. Doctors left a stent in to prevent temporary blockage and Cindy was sent home to recover. Shortly thereafter, DJ, Cindy’s husband, found her unconscious on the bathroom floor. He immediately took her to the hospital in Stanford, KY, where they found her kidney was surrounded by infection and she had gone into septic shock. Sepsis, which is an extreme reaction to an infection, affects more than 1.7 million adults in the U.S. annually, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. For every hour treatment is delayed, the risk of dying from sepsis increases by as much as 8%.
Doctors realized that her arms and legs had lost blood flow and that Cindy would have to have her limbs amputated. As Cindy’s story made its way through the community and beyond, James Crocker, CEO of Hog Technologies, began to organize with local companies and volunteers to help build a new home that would be more accommodating for Cindy. James and his wife, Sandee Jo, and their team travelled from Florida to organize the build.
More than 60 contractors and suppliers, along with over 350 individuals and volunteers, helped to build a 7,000-sq.-ft. accessible home for the family in the fall of 2024. Among those organizers was Stanford, KY-based Builders Supply. Builders Supply and their team provided building supplies as well as worked hands on with the Mullins Family and Douglas Rose, the project facilitator, to make certain the build could be completed in just 10 days.
“It was a privilege to be a part of a project that meant so much to our community and to me on a personal level. It is truly one of the greatest experiences that we have had since we have been in business,” said Lee Saufley Swain, whose father started Builders Supply in 1963. “We are a 61-year-old business, and from a community that’s the second-oldest settlement in Kentucky—people really pull together and are there for one another. All of our suppliers stepped up and were very gracious, and all the builders that were involved worked together. That was just as heartwarming as anything, because they usually are competitors. To see them all work together, inspired by a common cause, was just a beautiful thing.”
A community effort
Organizers worked with the Mullins family to design the home to their unique specifications, then quickly got to work. Aptly named the “Mullins Miracle,” the new home includes dozens of features meant to help Cindy live more independently. Wider hallways, doorways, and sidewalks for wheelchair access, lowered kitchen appliances, and the installation of voice-activated bathroom and light fixtures were some of the features that Liz Betek Design Studio and architect Garland Vanhook were instrumental in designing. In addition, a GoFundMe has raised over $345,000 to date (gofundme.com/f/Miraclesformullins).
Builders Supply, a Do it Best member since 1971, and a number of local companies contributed to the project. Pella Windows, one of their suppliers, donated the black Impervia windows used on the project. Porter Paints discounted paint, Crouch and Stringer Concrete assisted with foundation and sidewalk pours, and Mees Distributors donated the Wedi shower system. Other suppliers included Do it Best, KY Wholesale, Kwik-Set, Affordable Truss, Culpeper, Georgia Pacific, Klumb Forest Products, and Tri-State Forest Products.
While DJ was often on-site throughout the build, much of the home was a surprise for Cindy. Before the drywall went up, Cindy had the chance to inscribe, “Love and God built this house,” on one of the wall studs using a Sharpie and her new prosthetic hands. While the build was a challenge, Lee said everyone who worked on the project were determined to make it happen.
Raising awareness, community pride
In addition to helping the Mullins family, Lee said one of the most important aspects of the project was the opportunity to raise awareness about sepsis, which caused her own mother’s death years ago.
“I want to promote sepsis so that other people recognize the signs in a timely manner,” she said. “I lost my mom to sepsis. Cindy lost all her limbs to sepsis. If we can promote awareness, then this build will not have only helped Cindy, it will help others around the world.”
Builders Supply’s commitment to giving back comes from Founder H.R. “Short” Saufley, Lee’s Father. At 89, Short is very active with the company. “He comes in every day, and is amazing. He is very instrumental in daily operations. Dad buys all of our lumber. It was a tall order to make certain that all the materials we needed for a 7,000-sq.-ft. home were in our small yard, in advance.”
Short, Lee, Contractor Sales Manager Kirby Brannock, and the team at Builders Supply were at the site throughout the build. Yard Manager Sam Bishop and delivery drivers took 5-10 deliveries per day, and even Account Manager Gail Isaacs made deliveries, Saufley Swain said.
She said her father’s commitment to the community has been key to Builders Supply’s longevity in the area. “We try to stay involved in the community. It is important to us to have relationships, because that is the cornerstone of what makes or breaks any business. We are all so proud to be from Lincoln County and our surrounding counties and want to take care of the people that take care of us.”
