NASHVILLE, TN (WSMV) -
An elderly East Nashville woman has been living without electricity for nine months after a severe storm knocked out power.
She's determined to stay in her home at all costs, despite city codes inspectors calling the home a danger and thinking it should be torn down. Inspectors are surprised it hasn't already caught fire.
History seems to be repeating itself for 86-year-old Mary Benham.
"This is a coal oil lamp; I was raised up on these," Benham said.
Benham is using a lamp to light her home, a gas heater to cook food, and a cooler as a refrigerator. She has been making do after her home was possibly struck by lightning during a severe storm.
"There was a pow! And the lights went out." Benham said. "There was a streak of fire coming from there, went out to the window and out there to the light pole," she said while pointing out of a front window.
She's been without electricity since last November.
"(I've been) living in the dark. They've (Adult Protective Services) been saying move, move, and I said 'this is my house,'" she said.
Metro Codes inspectors said the home is in shambles, and the electrical wiring is so shoddy, it's a fire just waiting to happen.
"We've had an inspection of the property and found it to be in a dilapidated state," said Bill Penn, Metro Codes and Safety assistant director.
Despite what Benham is going through, she still has a song in her heart as she hummed a few bars of the song, World Without End, which was recorded by her late husband, country music singer Lawrence Benham, better known as Big Slim.
She said she used to perform shows under the stage name Connie Carson with Big Slim.
"We took the whole show to New York, and they loved me," Benham said.
Now the home the two shared for decades at 302 Edith Dr. in East Nashville could soon be torn down.
"I'm not going to surrender to Codes, so they can tear my house down," Benham said.
Benham said she hired a man to replace the wiring in her house, but he ended up taking her money, and not finishing the job.
She is holding out hope that someone will come to her aid and re-wire her home, but Metro Codes inspectors believe it may be too late for that.
"It's our recommendation that it be demolished, because of the level of deterioration and damage that have occurred over the years," Penn said.
Benham said she won't go down without a fight.
"I want my house; I want my privacy," she said forcefully.
Benham said she's on a fixed income and doesn't have much money, but she's hoping someone is willing to help her so she can stay in her home.
Metro Codes officials have informed Adult Protective Services (APS) about Benham's situation. APS social workers are hoping to get her relocated, something she doesn't want.
Former Metro Councilwoman Pam Murray has donated Benham a gas generator so that she can at least power her refrigerator and turn on a lamp.
Benham has to appear in Metro Environmental Court for a hearing on Sept. 18.
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