Most middle schoolers probably have other things on their minds besides building houses.
But Luke Thill, a 13-year-old from Dubuque, Iowa, is unlike any other middle schooler you’ve seen before.
This talented and proactive boy has crafted his very own little house — in his parent’s backyard.
The project cost him roughly $1,500 USD — and now Luke is living his dream in his little cottage.
Come on in and have a look at what it looks like inside.
I think it’s safe to say that Luke is not like many of his 13-year-old peers. In a time of iPads, smartphones, gadgets, and X-Boxes, this young man decided to keep himself busy in a different and more ‘old-fashioned’ way. As he explains on his YouTube channel, his desire to build a small house grew out of feeling bored last summer.
After some thorough research, Luke had a pretty good idea of how he was going to put his plan into action.
The Process
It took him about a year to get the money and materials he needed to build the house. Luke mowed lawns, started a fund-raiser online, and ran errands for anyone who needed help in the neighborhood to make money.
An electrician Luke was friends with helped him install the electricity in exchange for Luke cleaning his garage out, for instance.
Luke used about 75 percent recycled material, many of which were things left over from his grandma’s house. The front door of the house was a gift from an uncle’s friend.
The 89-square-foot house is 10 feet long and 5 1/2 feet wide, with electricity but no plumbing, so no water or bathroom… yet.
“I liked the minimalism,” he told The Des Moines Register. “And I wanted to have a house without a huge mortgage.”
Luke has made several video clips and posted them online, where he talks about his project as many have grown curious about the little house.
As you can imagine, Luke also received some help from his parents, both financially and with the building itself.
But dad Greg made sure that it would be Luke himself who would pay for most of his project and also build most of it himself.
“It was a chance for a kid to do something more than play video games or sports,” Greg told The Des Moines Register. “It teaches life lessons.”
Teenager’s Dream
The house is in many ways a teenager’s dream, an oasis where you can chill and hang out in. It has a microwave, a TV, and a loft with a bed.
There’s even a barbecue and flowers at the back.
Luke usually does his homework after school at his new house and some nights during the week he gets to sleep there.
Luke already has aspirations to build another house — one that’s a little bigger for when he starts college. He also hopes to inspire others to follow their dreams:
“I want to show kids it’s possible to build at this age,” he says in one of his videos.
You can really see how proud he is about his project below.
Luke’s story is a great example of what a child can achieve with a clear goal, a strong worth ethic, and support from home.
Mystery Deepens: Pregnant Teen Found Dead in Woods After Vanishing with Stranger!
Mia Campos, a 16-year-old girl who was pregnant, disappeared in Georgia. Sadly, she has been found dead.
Mia was expecting her first baby, due in the fall. People got worried when she left her parents’ home with someone they didn’t know on July 14th and didn’t come back.
The police in Gwinnett County, Georgia received a report early on July 15th that her body was found in a wooded area near the road.
According to PEOPLE magazine, a family member used a phone app to find Mia’s body. The medical examiner later confirmed that she was killed.
\Last Wednesday, police arrested Mia’s ex-boyfriend, Jesus Monroy, for lying to them. But they haven’t said he killed Mia.
Campos’s family says that Monroy is the father of the baby Mia was going to have before she died. According to 11 Alive, Mia’s parents, Miriam Zarate and Edward Campos, found their daughter’s body just minutes from their house.
“I found my daughter lying face-down,” Edward said.
“It was really tough. I knew something was wrong – her lips, her bleeding nose.”
He added: “We somehow ended up there, and because I didn’t have a flashlight, I just used my phone. Then I said, ‘She’s right there.’ It just broke my heart. Thank God that I found her.”
As per reports, Mia was the youngest of five siblings. Her unborn child, a boy, was expected to be born in September. She had planned to name him Sebastian.
Miriam and Edward told Fox 5 that Monroy was with them for two days after Mia’s death.
“We keep praying every night and that’s why he came with his parents. That’s why I was shocked when they sent me the notice. I was like, ‘Wow,’” Edward explained.
We sincerely hope the person responsible for Mia’s murder is found and apprehended.
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