"All I know is this is a blessing from the Lord," she told Action News.
"We're going to use a little style and shampoo and make her more beautiful than she already is," said Crystal Lewis of 'I Say Yes' Salon, as she began to work on Shirley's hair.
What Shirley didn't know was that while she was being primped and pampered, her Upper Chichester house, which had been damaged by Hurricane Sandy, was getting a makeover, too.
"It's Thanksgiving. We heard Shirley's story of what Sandy the storm did to her, and we wanted to surprise her with the makeover of a lifetime and really give back some hope and happiness," said Voci.
During the storm, while Shirley stayed with her daughter, the roof developed a major leak and the power went out. She already needed a new lamp post and front door lock, and the additional expenses were overwhelming.
Marc Voci pulled in several people who were happy to help, including Joe Voci from JDV Electric and George Aubrey, who repaired the roof and installed a new lock.
"Anybody can be in this situation. I know if I were ever in this situation, I would hope somebody would help me," said Joe Voci.
"It's really good. I've been so busy lately that I need to slow life down and do something like this. It is a good feeling," said Aubrey.
When Shirley arrived back home from the salon, her already-good day got a whole lot better. Marc Voci explained the repairs that had been made and presented her with $100 supermarket gift card.
"This was one of the most beautiful experiences of my life. I thank everyone for blessing me on this special day. This is a special Thanksgiving," she said.
The spirit of the holidays, alive and well in Upper Chichester.
