On May 13, 1988, a Friday, William Ellis' life changed forever.

It was on this day that his wife, Beulah Marie, suffered a debilitating stroke that left her wheelchair-bound. "Her mind was still sharp but she was left partially paralyzed on her right side and had problems with her speech," says Mr. Ellis, 77. "I certainly didn't want to see her put into a nursing home. I wanted her here with me."

The solution lay in adding a fourth room to accommodate his wife's needs. "The existing rooms and hallways were not wide to accommodate a wheelchair, so we had to do something," Mr. Ellis notes.

The Ellis' were living in a single-story, three-bedroom, 3 1/2-bath home at the time of the stroke. "We removed the double garage and added a 23' by 20' bedroom," Mr. Ellis explained. "The cost of this addition was $42,000."

Mr. Ellis said he didn't want to get another mortgage because that would have meant making a monthly payment, so the logical step was to get a reverse mortgage.

He obtained a reverse mortgage and set up the account as a line of credit.

The reverse mortgage proceeds helped pay for the room addition and other changes, including a handicapped-accessible shower, "so that I could wheel her right into the shower area for bathing purposes," Mr. Ellis said. Other amenities, such as a bed and living room furniture, were brought in to provide additional comfort.

"I got enough money to cover the costs to make these changes, plus some left over to cover everyday expenses," explained Mr. Ellis.

Despite his wife's paralysis, Ellis said he was determined to ensure that his wife experienced a fruitful and enjoyable life. The couple took numerous vacations all over the country. "We weren't going to let her paralysis ruin our lives," Mr. Ellis adds.

Sadly, Beulah passed away a year and a half ago.

Mr. Ellis said he "misses her terribly" and is grateful for the reverse mortgage, which provided the financial assistance needed to help him care for his wife.

"If I had to do it over again, I still would have gotten the reverse mortgage," he says. "It really helped out."