Great lesson to pass it on. (The Goodness of America).

In February 2001, Lisa Schmidt and her children moved into the home she had purchased in Murray, Utah. Before long, they were plagued with unexplained health problems ranging from headaches and leg aches to diarrhea and bloody noses.

Neighbors told Schmidt that in 1999 the police had conducted a drug raid searching for methamphetamines. It was the first she had heard about it. She contacted the Utah State Health Department, which sent an inspector. She was told to watch for, and to clean up with bleach, any yellow substance that might seep through walls or ceilings.

When yellow stuff began appearing sporadically, she dutifully scrubbed it as instructed. But when the baffling illnesses continued, she decided in September of this year to expend $900 for another, more thorough, house inspection by a private firm. Inspectors found copious amounts of methamphetamine remnants throughout the house -- in walls, ceilings, cabinets, floors, and air. As reported by Salt Lake City's Deseret News for September 28th, "The legal limit for inhabitability of a house is .01 parts of meth present. The report ... showed the basement bathroom [where meth was made in a bathtub] at a whopping 56.0. Other rooms were not far behind." The last renter, it turned out, had made meth in the house. In fact, authorities had already arrested him, but not until he had moved Out and was producing meth elsewhere.

Needless to say, the bad news devastated Schmidt. She now faced the loss of all furniture and personal belongings, a $6,100 bill to cleanse the house down to its framing studs, and around $25,000 to have it refurbished. Barred from entering (except to remove furniture and personal belongings destined for a toxic waste dump), the family was allowed by health authorities to live in a motor home in the driveway.

Media reports about the bizarre tragedy generated an outpouring of support from neighbors and others anxious to help. On October 2 1st, the Deseret News reported that business associates of Schmidt's ex-husband had "gathered $1,500," and that "Salt Lake County offered Schmidt a no-interest loan to cover the reconstruction." Her brother set up an account at a local bank to accept contributions, and "sure enough, people began putting money in. One anonymous donor alone contributed $500."

Lindon, Utah, custom molding and cabinet builder Matt Gaus "volunteered to rebuild Schmidt's kitchen cabinets." And they will not be "just any cabinets, either. Gaus does high-end, handmade work." "I've had people help me out with money or whatever when I've been in situations' he told the Deseret News, "so I think you've got to return it. I saw this on the news and thought, well, here's an opportunity."

Schmidt admits that she was somewhat pessimistic about human nature before, but now says "this has absolutely changed my conception. People care. People don't act like they care about each other, but they really do. When you need help, perfect strangers come up and offer help.... It's really amazing." The Deseret News adds: "It's telling that Schmidt herself, still in the middle of her own crisis, is looking for opportunities to help others. She recently donated to a fund ... helping pay the medical bills of ... a sick child."

"This has made me want to pass it on," the grateful mother reflects. "I have learned a great lesson about passing on good fortune."