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Ruth: IT WAS REVOLTING, DISGUSTING, HORRENDOUS.
IT STANK. IT WAS FILTHY.
HOW CAN YOU GET IN HERE?
HOW DO YOU GET IN HERE, MIKE?
Mike: IT WAS VERY DEMORALIZING, VERY DEPRESSING.
[ CHUCKLES ]
A PLACE THAT I HATE BEING IN.
IT'S UNBELIEVABLE!
MIKE HAS REALLY PERFECTED HOW TO HOARD TRASH AND GARBAGE.
HE'S GOOD AT IT. IF THERE WAS A WAY TO MAKE A LIVING DOING THAT,
HE COULD BE THE DONALD TRUMP OF HOARDING.
THE PILE HERE IS PROBABLY ABOUT FIVE FEET HIGH.
MIKE'S SITUATION IS PROBABLY THE WORST
THAT I HAVE EVER HAD TO TACKLE.
THERE IS A COMPLETE BIOHAZARD ZONE IN HIS HOME.
A MASS WAS FOUND DURING A CAT SCAN.
IT'S CANCER, AND IT'S A CANCER THAT'S VERY RARE.
Ruth: HE MAY END UP GETTING
A LIFE-THREATENING INFECTION AFTER SURGERY.
Elise: THIS IS REALLY SERIOUS.
HE COULD DIE.
-- Captions by VITAC -- www.vitac.com
CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS
Mike: I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY, THERE ARE MANY DIFFERENT ELEMENTS
OR LEVELS OF HOARDING.
AND...
BUT I'M ON THE TOP OF THE LIST.
SINCE I'M ALWAYS OUT GETTING THINGS,
THERE'S ALWAYS MORE COMING IN.
IF I HAD A HOUSE, I WOULD HAVE FILLED UP THE HOUSE, YOU KNOW?
IF THERE WAS MORE SPACE, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE TO FILL IT UP.
Narrator: FOR MORE THAN 20 YEARS,
PHILADELPHIA RESIDENT MIKE
HAS FED A LIFELONG OBSESSION WITH STUFF
BY SCOURING THE STREETS OF HIS NEIGHBORHOOD.
Mike: MY APARTMENT OVER THE YEARS
HAS BEEN FILLED WITH ALL SORTS OF NEWSPAPERS AND BOOKS.
AND IT'S, YOU KNOW, PRETTY MUCH FILLED CLOSE TO CAPACITY.
FOR ANYBODY WHO'S NOT USED TO
SQUEEZING INTO [CHUCKLES] A DOOR,
SQUEEZING INTO A DOOR THAT'S ONLY OPEN MAYBE A FOOT,
YOU KNOW, IT'S --
IT'S TOUGH.
AND, UM, AGAIN, I'M USED TO IT BY NOW.
YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN DOING IT FOR YEARS.
AND, UM...
BASICALLY, THAT'S HOW IT GOES.
[ RUSTLING ]
COMING IN THE DOOR IS DIFFICULT AND CHALLENGING,
AND SOMETIMES IT'S BLOCKED A LITTLE
BECAUSE THINGS HAPPEN TO FALL DOWN.
BUT I MANAGE.
SO IF THINGS DON'T FALL DOWN, CAVE IN,
I WOULD WALK ALONG HERE.
MIKE HOARDS ANYTHING. ANYTHING.
HE CANNOT CONTROL HIS IMPULSE
TO JUST TAKE ANYTHING THAT'S THERE.
THE WHOLE THING IS JUST SO BIZARRE.
WELL, THIS IS SUPPOSED TO BE THE LIVING ROOM,
BUT OBVIOUSLY IT'S JUST PILED
WITH NEWSPAPERS, BOOKS, MAGAZINES,
AND, YOU KNOW, A FEW MISCELLANEOUS THINGS.
THIS IS A SUITCASE I USE EXCLUSIVELY JUST FOR FOOD.
AND IT'S FULL OF FOOD.
AND THE MICE HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO GET IN HERE.
I HAVE NO [BLEEP] IDEA WHY MIKE...
WENT IN THE DIRECTION HE DID.
ONE OF THE THINGS YOU'VE GOT TO GIVE MIKE CREDIT FOR
IS CONSISTENCY.
AND MIKE, IN MY OPINION, HAS REALLY PERFECTED
HOW TO HOARD [BLEEP] AND TRASH AND GARBAGE AND NEWSPAPERS.
AND HE'S GOOD AT IT.
I MEAN, IF THERE WAS A WAY TO MAKE A LIVING DOING THAT,
YOU KNOW, HE COULD BE THE DONALD TRUMP
OF HOARDING TRASH AND GARBAGE.
WELL, THIS IS SUPPOSED TO BE THE DINING ROOM.
UM, YOU KNOW, THE PILE HERE IS PROBABLY ABOUT FIVE FEET HIGH,
I WOULD ASSUME.
I DON'T THINK I'VE EVER ACTUALLY HAD
THE DINING-ROOM TABLE SET UP IN THE CONDO HERE.
Narrator: WHILE HIS ONE-BEDROOM CONDO
IS NOW NEARLY UNINHABITABLE,
MIKE'S LIVING CONDITIONS WERE NOT ALWAYS SO EXTREME.
FOR FOUR DECADES, MIKE SPENT HIS DAYS AS A TICKET BROKER,
BRINGING IN OVER $200,000 A YEAR.
MIKE ALWAYS COULD GET TICKETS TO EVERYTHING --
SPORTING EVENTS, CONCERTS, YOU NAME IT.
Mike: WELL, WHEN I HAD A BUSINESS,
I WORKED ABOUT 70 HOURS A WEEK.
SO I DIDN'T HAVE TIME TO -- TO BE A HOARDER.
Narrator: BUT AS NEW TECHNOLOGIES EVOLVED,
IT CHANGED THE WAY PEOPLE BOUGHT TICKETS.
BEFORE LONG, MIKE'S LUCRATIVE CAREER BECAME OBSOLETE.
Mike: NOW THAT THERE'S THE INTERNET,
ANYBODY CAN SELL -- CAN BUY OR SELL TICKETS ONLINE.
SO THERE'S NOT AS MUCH NEED FOR A TICKET BROKER NOW
AS OPPOSED TO 10 OR 20 YEARS AGO.
WELL, THIS IS SUPPOSED TO BE THE KITCHEN. UM...
NOW, THAT'S SOMETHING
I WAS GONNA COOK ACTUALLY A FEW MONTHS AGO.
Narrator: AFTER THE COLLAPSE OF HIS SUCCESSFUL CAREER,
MIKE'S HOARDING SPIRALED OUT OF CONTROL,
QUICKLY CONSUMING EVERY INCH OF HIS CONDO.
UM, THIS IS THE BATHROOM, WHICH IS FILLED WITH STUFF.
I TURNED THE WATER OFF SO THAT I DON'T HAVE TO WORRY
ABOUT ANY LEAKS
OR THE PIPES FREEZING OR ANYTHING.
SO I HAVEN'T HAD RUNNING WATER IN AT LEAST THREE YEARS.
IF I'M HERE AT NIGHT
AND I DON'T FEEL LIKE GOING OUTSIDE OR NO PLACE IS OPEN,
I'LL JUST USE A JUG AND USE THAT
SINCE I DON'T HAVE THE USE OF THE BATHROOM.
MIKE HAS HAD VERY LITTLE CONSEQUENCES,
RAMIFICATIONS, NEGATIVE RESULTS.
WHEN HE WAS HOARDING, THERE WAS NO PENALTY.
THERE WAS NEVER ANY CONSEQUENCE FOR HOARDING.
WELL, I MEAN, I TRY. I DID TRY TO STOP.
ACTUALLY, I WOULD SAY, YEAH, I DID TRY.
BUT THE DESIRE WAS TOO POWERFUL.
SO I WASN'T SUCCESSFUL AT IT.
Narrator: AFTER YEARS OF LETTING HIS DESIRES GET THE BEST OF HIM,
MIKE HAS RECENTLY RECEIVED SOME NEWS
THAT GIVES HIM NO CHOICE BUT TO CHANGE.
A MASS WAS FOUND DURING A CAT SCAN.
IT'S CANCER, AND IT'S A CANCER THAT'S VERY RARE.
IT'S A CANCER THAT --
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE MORTALITY IS ON IT,
BUT IT'S NOT A GOOD THING.
I MEAN, UM, IS HE GONNA MAKE IT THROUGH SURGERY?
Ruth: THERE'S A POSSIBILITY THAT HE MAY NOT HAVE
BLADDER OR BOWEL FUNCTION AFTER THE SURGERY.
SO IT'S VERY, VERY COMPLICATED.
ONCE MIKE WAS ABLE TO SECURE A SURGEON
WHO WAS WILLING TO DO IT
AT NO COST OR LOW COST, WHATEVER IT IS,
THE QUESTION IS, "OKAY, WELL, WHERE'S MIKE GONNA LIVE?"
Elise: HE NEEDS A CLEAN, HEALTHY, SAFE, ACCESSIBLE PLACE
TO RETURN TO.
I DON'T KNOW IF HE WILL ALLOW US TO HELP HIM.
IT HAS TO BE CLEAN OR IT HAS TO BE CONDEMNED.
HE CAN'T GO BACK
TO AN UNHEALTHY, UNSAFE, INACCESSIBLE PLACE.
SO, I MEAN, HE COULD DIE.
THIS IS REALLY SERIOUS.
Mike: NAVIGATING THE APARTMENT IS --
YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT FUN.
IT'S MORE TIME-CONSUMING TO HAVE TO CRAWL AROUND
AND MAKE SURE THAT NOTHING FALLS DOWN.
AND IT'S -- IT'S -- IT'S --
IT'S NOT FUN AT ALL.
Narrator: IN THE SUBURBS OF PHILADELPHIA,
MIKE'S INSATIABLE NEED TO SAVE NEARLY EVERY ITEM HE ENCOUNTERS
HAS RENDERED HIS APARTMENT ALMOST UNLIVABLE.
Mike: IT'S HORRIBLE.
IT'S VERY DEMORALIZING, VERY DEPRESSING.
[ CHUCKLES ]
IT'S, UM, A PLACE THAT I HATE BEING IN.
Narrator: AND WHILE HIS ADDICTION HAS CONTROLLED HIS EVERY MOVE
FOR THE BETTER PART OF 40 YEARS,
MIKE NOW FACES AN EVEN BIGGER CHALLENGE.
A RECENT CANCER DIAGNOSIS HAS GIVEN HIM NO CHOICE
BUT TO UNDERGO A COMPLEX, LIFESAVING SURGERY
IN JUST TWO WEEKS.
Ruth: IT'S BEEN A CRISIS FOR 43 YEARS,
BUT IT'S JUST BEEN HIS OWN SILENT CRISIS.
AND NOW IT'S A FAMILY CRISIS
BECAUSE OF THE SURGERY THAT HE'S BEING CONFRONTED WITH.
I DO FEAR THAT HE WILL BECOME COMPLETELY HOMELESS
BECAUSE HE WILL GET THROWN OUT.
AND HE NEEDS A CLEAN, HEALTHY, SAFE, ACCESSIBLE PLACE
TO RETURN TO.
Narrator: WITH THE CLOCK TICKING,
MIKE'S SISTERS, ELISE AND RUTH,
HAVE ARRIVED TO ASSESS THE SITUATION
AND MAKE PLANS FOR A MAJOR CLEAN-OUT.
AND THOUGH THEY ARE AWARE OF MIKE'S HOARDING COMPULSIONS,
THEY HAVE NEVER ACTUALLY SEEN THE INSIDE OF HIS APARTMENT.
MIKE, YOU IN THERE?
Mike: YEAH.
Ruth: CAN WE COME IN?
UH, YES.
[ CHUCKLES ]
HOW DO YOU GET IN HERE, MIKE?
HOW CAN YOU GET IN HERE?
Mike: I'M USED TO IT.
HOW DO YOU GET IN HERE, MIKE?
Elise: I DON'T THINK I'M GONNA FIT.
OH, YEAH. BUT I DON'T THINK I HAVE ENOUGH --
I NEED A STEP-STOOL.
Ruth: COME HERE.
WHA--
[ LAUGHS ] OKAY.
I DON'T KNOW.
I THINK I NEED A STEP-STOOL. IS THIS STABLE?
I CAN DO IT. ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR.
AAH!
YOU'RE IN. YOU'RE IN.
[ GRUNTS ] I CAN DO IT. WAIT.
NO, BUT...
[ GRUNTS ]
OKAY. OKAY.
JUST -- YOU'VE GOT TO TRY TO CLIMB UP.
NO, I KNOW. AAH!
Ruth: OKAY. ONE, TWO, THREE.
ALL RIGHT. YOU'RE IN. YOU'RE THERE.
OH, GOD.
YOU'RE THERE.
DO YOU -- YOU DO THIS EVERY DAY?
WHERE DO YOU SHOWER?
MICHAEL!
MICHAEL. MICHAEL.
IT'S UNBELIEVABLE!
TO SEE THE FILTH, TO SEE THE TRASH,
TO SEE THE OVERWHELMING MESS, IT JUST --
IT JUST TORE ME UP INSIDE. IT'S HEARTBREAKING.
IT'S SO TRAGIC THAT HIS MENTAL ILLNESS,
THAT THIS COMPULSION
JUST POSSESSES EVERY ACTION IN HIS LIFE.
I CAN DO IT.
EXCEPT THIS DOESN'T FEEL VERY STABLE.
HERE. DO YOU WANT TO COME UP HERE?
YEAH. GIVE ME A -- YEAH. AAH!
I CAN'T BELIEVE I'M TOUCHING THE CEILING!
[ LAUGHS ]
IT'S JUST PILES AND PILES AND PILES AND PILES AND PILES
OF STUFF, JUNK, TRASH, GARBAGE, BOOKS, ANYTHING.
ANYTHING, ANYTHING, EVERYTHING.
Ruth: THERE'S LOTS OF FLIES IN HERE.
YEAH. I MEAN, I'M SEEING FLIES AND...
A LOT OF MOUSE DROPPINGS.
LOT OF TRASH. LOT OF TRASH.
I -- MICHAEL, MICHAEL, I DON'T UNDERSTAND.
I DON'T UNDERSTAND.
I MEAN, CAN YOU EXPLAIN THIS?
IT SMELLS LIKE ANIMAL WASTE IN HERE.
YEAH. I MEAN, I CAN'T EVEN -- I MEAN...I'M STUPEFIED.
Mike: YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY,
I WAS EMBARRASSED AND HUMILIATED AND UNCOMFORTABLE.
UM, I WAS TRYING TO ZONE OUT AND NOT HAVE TO DEAL WITH IT.
Ruth: IT WAS REVOLTING, DISGUSTING, HORRENDOUS.
IT STANK. IT WAS FILTHY.
IT WAS REALLY NO REASON TO BE IN THERE,
BUT I WAS THERE TO HELP HIM.
THIS LOOKS TO ME, MIKE --
IT LOOKS TO ME, MIKE, THAT IT'S ALL TRASH.
THAT IT'S ALL TRASH.
WHAT ARE ALL THESE CUPS HERE?
I KNOW. I WAS NOTICING THAT.
WHAT IS THIS? IS IT URINE?
LIKE, ALL THESE BOTTLES.
SO IT'S NOT ICED TEA AND APPLE JUICE?
OR WHAT?
IS THAT WHAT IT IS, MIKE?
SO, WHEN YOU SAID YOU WENT OUTSIDE, IS THAT NOT THE TRUTH?
SOMETIMES IT IS.
[ SIGHS ]
OR OTHER... BODILY FLUIDS.
IT'S NOT APPLE JUICE.
IT'S NOT APPLE JUICE.
OH, MIKE.
[ SIGHS ]
I THINK I FAILED TO COMPREHEND
THE SERIOUSNESS AND THE DURATION
AND THE INTENSITY OF MIKE'S ISSUE.
HOW CAN YOU IMAGINE IT? YOU CAN'T. YOU CAN'T IMAGINE IT.
THAT BROWN STUFF...
...IS IT MUD OR IS IT SOMETHING ELSE?
BECAUSE IF IT'S SOMETHING ELSE,
EVERYTHING'S BEEN CONTAMINATED.
AND WE SHOULD ALL BE WEARING --
I KNOW. I'M READY TO THROW UP.
WE SHOULD BE -- WE'RE READY TO PUT HAZMAT SUITS ON.
I'M READY TO THROW UP BIG-TIME.
BECAUSE IT'S A RISK FOR US, TOO.
YEAH, I'M FEELING THREATENED.
WHAT REALLY SHOCKED ME AND UPSET ME THE MOST
WAS TO SEE THE SQUALID CONDITION
THAT HE WAS ALLOWING HIMSELF TO LIVE IN.
FOR SOME REASON, I WAS OKAY WITH THE TRASH AND THE PAPERS,
BUT WHEN IT GOT TO THE HUMAN WASTE,
THAT JUST TOOK ME OVER THE EDGE ON THAT ONE.
ARE YOU OKAY IF ALL OF THIS TRASH GOES
AND YOU CREATE A NEW SPACE OF CLEANLINESS AND HEALTH?
N-N-NOT ALL OF IT. IT'S NOT ALL TRASH.
BUT I'LL TAKE IT UNDER CONSIDERATION.
WHAT YOU NEED TO UNDERSTAND, MIKE,
WHEN YOU COME HOME AFTER YOUR SURGERY...
Elise: YOU CAN'T HAVE ANY EXPOSURE TO GERMS.
...YOU DO NOT WANT TO PUT YOURSELF AT RISK
FOR ANY KIND OF INFECTION -- VIRAL, BACTERIAL, FUNGAL.
THAT COULD BE LIFE-THREATENING.
THAT'S WHAT I'M CONCERNED ABOUT.
THIS IS ABOUT YOUR LIFE. THIS IS ABOUT SAVING YOUR LIFE.
IT'S DANGEROUS. IT'S DANGEROUS.
I CAN'T SAY IT ENOUGH. IT'S DANGEROUS.
WE CAN'T -- I CAN'T BE -- I'M NAUSEATED.
I CAN'T BE IN HERE ANYMORE.
WE'RE GONNA HEAD OUT. WE'RE GONNA HEAD OUT. YOU SHOULD JOIN US.
WE SHOULD --
OKAY.
Elise: I CAN'T EVEN THINK ABOUT HOW --
WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF MIKE HAD TO COME HOME TO THIS.
IT WOULD BE IMPOSSIBLE.
THERE'S NO WAY AFTER HAVING THAT KIND OF SURGERY
HE COULD CLIMB IN.
IT WOULD BE PHYSICALLY IMPOSSIBLE.
WE ARE VERY, VERY, VERY CONCERNED
ABOUT HIS CANCER DIAGNOSIS, HIS IMPENDING SURGERY,
THE UNCERTAINTY OF IT.
WE REALLY DON'T KNOW HOW THAT'S GONNA GO.
Ruth: THIS IS ABOUT YOUR LIFE. THIS IS ABOUT SAVING YOUR LIFE.
IT'S DANGEROUS. IT'S DANGEROUS.
I CAN'T SAY IT ENOUGH. IT'S DANGEROUS.
WE CAN'T -- I CAN'T BE IN -- I'M NAUSEATED.
I CAN'T BE IN HERE ANYMORE.
SO WE'RE GONNA HEAD OUT. WE'RE GONNA HEAD OUT. YOU SHOULD JOIN US.
WE SHOULD -- ALL RIGHT.
OKAY.
Narrator: TO TREAT THE CANCER IN HIS SPINE,
MIKE WILL UNDERGO MAJOR SURGERY IN LESS THAN TWO WEEKS.
BUT AFTER HIS SISTERS' VISIT
AT HIS PHILADELPHIA APARTMENT FOR THE FIRST TIME,
THEY IMMEDIATELY CONCLUDED
THAT IT'S SIMPLY UNFIT FOR POST-OP RECOVERY.
Mike: MOST TIMES, MY FAMILY AND MOST PEOPLE OVERREACT.
THEY WERE CONCERNED THAT I COULD BECOME SICK
FROM ALL THE STUFF IN THE APARTMENT
AND THAT IT SHOULD BE --
IT SHOULD BE DISCARDED.
I DON'T REALLY BELIEVE IT'S AS BAD AS OTHER PEOPLE SAY.
Narrator: WITH MIKE UNWILLING
TO ACCEPT THE SERIOUSNESS OF THE SITUATION,
THE SISTERS HAVE NO CHOICE
BUT TO TAKE MATTERS INTO THEIR OWN HANDS.
IT WAS A BIOHAZARD.
IT WASN'T JUST PAPERS AND TRASH AND FLIES.
IT WAS BEYOND ANYTHING MY SISTER AND I COULD HANDLE.
AND SO WE REALIZED
THAT WE NEEDED TO RECRUIT PROFESSIONAL HELP,
AND SO WE NEEDED TO CALL MIKE
FROM THE CONDOMINIUM ASSOCIATION,
AND HE HAS COME TO OUR ASSISTANCE.
HI, MICHAEL.
IT'S SUCH A PLEASURE.
Michael: I'M VICE PRESIDENT OF THE ASSOCIATION.
THE ENTIRE BOARD AND THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY
HAS KNOWN FOR MANY YEARS
OF MICHAEL'S PROBLEMS AND ISSUES
AND STRUGGLED TREMENDOUSLY WITH HOW THEY COULD BE ADDRESSED
FOR BOTH HIS BENEFIT AND FOR THE COMMUNITY'S BENEFIT.
WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR HELP.
AND WE WANT TO SHOW YOU MIKE'S APARTMENT,
BUT TO PROTECT YOU AND ALL OF US, WE NEED TO SUIT UP.
WE KNEW WE NEEDED THE MARINES, THE CALVARY.
WE NEEDED SOMEONE AT THE COMPLEX TO HELP
BECAUSE THERE WERE A NUMBER OF ISSUES.
WE CAN'T HANDLE THIS.
WE JUST KNEW THERE WAS A SITUATION WE COULDN'T HANDLE.
YOU'RE GONNA NEED TO BE REALLY CAREFUL GETTING IN THERE.
THERE'S NOT MUCH ROOM TO MOVE AROUND.
I HOPE THAT HE WOULD BE ABLE TO COERCE MICHAEL
FROM A LEGAL STANDPOINT,
SAYING THAT MIKE NEEDED TO DO IT.
I WAS HOPING THAT THERE WOULD JUST BE
ANOTHER EXTERNAL SOURCE OF PRESSURE
FOR MICHAEL TO HAVE TO CLEAN UP THE PLACE THAT WASN'T FAMILY.
UH, IT SMELLS PRETTY BAD.
Elise: YES.
IT LOOKS PRETTY BAD.
AND THERE'S NOT MUCH SPACE TO GET IN AND OUT.
SO YOU GOT TO BE CAREFUL.
AND I'M WARNING YOU NOW THAT THERE'S --
THAT THERE'S HUMAN EXCREMENT IN THERE, OKAY?
Mike: YEAH.
WELL, IT WAS --
OVER FIVE YEARS, I KEEP ON BRINGING THINGS IN.
BUT I CAN'T TAKE IT --
I CAN'T TAKE THEM OUT BECAUSE OF THE --
YOU KNOW, THE DOOR WAS BLOCKED, SO...
I DON'T THINK CONDOMINIUM MIKE
WAS REALLY PREPARED FOR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
I THINK HE WAS EXTREMELY SHOCKED.
IT WAS MUCH MORE STRESSFUL AND TRAUMATIC
THAN HE HAD EVEN IMAGINED.
Michael: YEAH. I CAN SEE.
Michael: YEAH, IT -- I DIDN'T EXPECT IT.
AND I HAVE A LEGAL RESPONSIBILITY
TO THE ASSOCIATION.
AND MICHAEL'S VERY, VERY IMPORTANT,
BUT EVERYONE ELSE HERE IS, TOO.
AND I THINK ONE OF THE UNIQUE CHALLENGES WE'RE GONNA HAVE
IN DEALING WITH THIS IS THAT IT REALLY IS LIFE-THREATENING
TO EVERYBODY IN THIS WHOLE BUILDING.
[ GRUNTING ]
AY-YI-YI.
[ GRUNTS ]
[ GRUNTS ]
[ INDISTINCT CONVERSATION ]
Michael: I JUST CAN'T EVEN TELL YOU HOW --
I --
YOU DON'T WANT TO PASS JUDGMENT
BECAUSE YOU KNOW DEEP DOWN INSIDE
IT'S A SERIOUS ILLNESS.
BUT I -- I JUST CAN'T TELL YOU.
IT'S DEVASTATING. ABSOLUTELY DEVASTATING.
WE'RE REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT YOUR SAFETY IN THE UNIT.
I'M VERY CONCERNED THAT YOU DON'T HAVE RUNNING WATER,
THAT YOU CAN'T GET INTO THE BATHROOM.
AND SO WE REALLY WOULD LIKE, IF YOU'RE OKAY WITH IT,
TO MAYBE STAY IN A HOTEL ROOM FOR THIS EVENING
AS WE BEGIN THE CLEAN-UP PROCESS.
[ CLEARS THROAT ]
ALL RIGHT. OKAY.
Ruth: I WAS TERRIFIED THAT HE WAS GOING TO BE EVICTED.
I WAS REALLY TERRIFIED THAT HE WOULD HAVE NO PLACE TO LIVE.
I FEEL CONFIDENT NOW
THAT THE COMMUNITY'S GOING TO DO EVERYTHING THEY CAN
AND THE FAMILY'S GOING TO DO EVERYTHING THEY CAN.
IT'S JUST UP TO MIKE NOW TO GO ALONG WITH IT ALL.
Narrator: IN LESS THAN TWO WEEKS,
COMPULSIVE HOARDER MIKE WILL UNDERGO AN INTENSIVE SURGERY
TO REMOVE A RARE FORM OF CANCER FROM HIS SPINE.
Mike: I MEAN, EVERYBODY SHOULD HAVE A FEAR FOR SURGERY,
PARTICULARLY THE MAJOR SURGERY THAT I'M GONNA HAVE.
IT'S MAJOR SURGERY.
AND IT'S GONNA TAKE A WHILE TO REHAB AND RECOVER.
Narrator: WITH NO CHOICE
BUT TO IMMEDIATELY CLEAN OUT HIS CONTAMINATED APARTMENT,
MIKE HAS REACHED OUT TO LICENSED PSYCHOLOGIST DR. BECKY BEATON
FOR SUPPORT IN THE PROCESS.
Dr. Beaton: PRIOR TO ARRIVING TO TREAT MIKE,
I FOUND OUT THAT THERE IS A COMPLETE BIOHAZARD ZONE
IN HIS HOME, BASICALLY.
HE'S GOT FECES, URINE, RODENTS, INSECTS, MAGGOTS.
I HAVE NEVER REFUSED TO GO INTO A HOARDER'S HOME.
I PREFER TO GO IN AND HELP THEM FEEL MORE AT EASE ABOUT IT.
BUT WITH MIKE, THERE'S SUCH A BIOHAZARD IN HIS HOME
THAT I DID NOT FEEL SAFE, ABSOLUTELY DID NOT,
EVEN WITH ALL THE EQUIPMENT.
Mike: COME IN.
HOW YOU DOING, DR. BECKY?
NICE TO MEET YOU.
SURE.
OKAY. THAT'S FINE. MM-HMM.
WITH A LOT OF HOARDERS, THERE ARE A LOT OF HYPOTHETICALS
WHERE SOMETHING BAD MIGHT HAPPEN --
A FIRE OR AN AVALANCHE.
BUT WITH MIKE, HE ACTUALLY IS FACING VERY SERIOUS REAL THREATS
IMMEDIATELY UPON RETURNING BACK TO HIS HOME FROM SURGERY.
HE'S GOING TO BE HAVING AN OPEN WOUND
WHERE INFECTION CAN TAKE PLACE.
THIS IS REALLY DIRE FOR HIM.
MIKE'S SITUATION IS PROBABLY THE WORST
THAT I HAVE EVER HAD TO TACKLE ALL AT ONE TIME
AND IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME.
OKAY.
SO, MIKE, I WOULD LOVE TO KNOW
A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT WHY YOU HOARD.
I DON'T REALLY UNDERSTAND EXACTLY WHAT TRIGGERS IT.
IN ORDER TO HELP YOU, I NEED TO REALLY KIND OF GET
WHAT GOES THROUGH YOUR MIND.
WELL, I MEAN, THERE'S MANY REASONS AND MANY PARTS TO IT.
THE FIRST PART IS THAT, YOU KNOW,
I ACCUMULATE THE NEWSPAPERS, MAGAZINES,
AND BOOKS AND STUFF, BROCHURES,
YOU KNOW, BECAUSE I WANT TO READ THEM.
I WANT TO KNOW --
I WANT TO KNOW WHAT'S IN THEM AND LEARN THINGS.
IF I GO THROUGH A NEWSPAPER BIN AND BRING IN NEWSPAPERS,
I MEAN, I DON'T CONSIDER THEM BRINGING IN TRASH.
RIGHT.
IT'S INFORMATION THAT YOU HAPPEN TO FIND IN A DUMPSTER.
RIGHT.
WHEN YOU SEE SOMETHING LIKE A NEWSPAPER,
DO YOU FEEL LIKE, "I'VE GOT TO HAVE THIS"?
OR IS THERE ANY PART OF YOU THAT SAYS,
"OH, I REALLY DON'T HAVE ROOM FOR IT IN MY HOME"?
NO.
OKAY. SO, THE FIRST PART HAPPENS.
YOU SAY, "I GOT TO HAVE IT."
I HAVEN'T GOTTEN TO THE POINT THAT --
YOU REALIZE YOU DON'T HAVE ROOM.
OKAY.
DO YOU WANT TO GET TO THAT POINT WHERE YOU REALIZE,
"THIS IS NOT GONNA BE GOOD FOR MY OVERALL HEALTH"?
UH, YEAH.
MM-HMM.
SO, YOU'RE REALLY READY TO TACKLE THIS?
YES.
OKAY. CAN WE GIVE IT A TRY?
YEAH.
WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO IS BRING YOU TO THE DUMPSTERS
AND SEE HOW IT IS FOR YOU
TO RESIST TAKING THAT INFORMATION AND BRINGING IT IN.
OKAY.
LET'S DO IT.
Dr. Beaton: I WAS HOPING IN MY FIRST MEETING WITH MIKE
THAT I COULD REALLY ESTABLISH SOME RAPPORT
AND HELP JOIN WITH HIM SO THAT IT WOULD MAKE IT EASIER
WHEN IT CAME TO THE HAUL-AWAY
TO BE ABLE TO COERCE HIM TO LET SOME THINGS GO.
MM-HMM.
I DID AN EXPOSURE-THERAPY EXERCISE WITH MIKE
IN ORDER TO HELP HIM REALLY START
TO GET USED TO LETTING THINGS GO.
I WANTED HIM TO RESIST KEEPING THINGS FROM A DUMPSTER.
I ALSO WANTED HIM TO LEARN HOW TO MAKE DECISIONS QUICKLY
AND ONLY SAVE A FEW THINGS FOR THE FOLLOWING DAY.
I WANT YOU TO FIND THREE MORE THINGS.
OKAY. OKAY.
SO, HOW STRONG IS IT, FROM ZERO TO 10,
FOR YOU TO TAKE THESE THREE ITEMS BACK HOME WITH YOU?
A 10.
A 10? OKAY.
AND WHAT'S GONNA KEEP YOU FROM NOT TAKING THEM BACK HOME?
OKAY.
CAN YOU START TO IMPLEMENT THE IDEA
OF "I'M CHOOSING TO HAVE A HEALTHY HOME"?
OKAY.
SO, "I'M CHOOSING TO HAVE A HEALTHY HOME"
VERSUS THESE PIECES OF INFORMATION.
CAN YOU SAY THAT OUT LOUD?
WHILE I WAS WORKING WITH MIKE ON THE EXPOSURE-THERAPY SESSION,
HE ACTUALLY SAID EVERYTHING WAS A 10.
ANYTHING THAT HE WANTED, IT WAS A 10.
IT WAS VERY "ALL OR NOTHING."
FOR MIKE, IT'S EITHER
"I'VE GOT TO HAVE IT" OR IT DOESN'T MATTER.
THERE'S NO MIDDLE GROUND.
JUST ONE. OKAY. LET'S JUST GO WITH ONE. OKAY.
HOW STRONGLY DO YOU WANT IT?
UH...A 10.
IS IT GONNA BE A 10 EVERY SINGLE TIME?
NO.
OKAY. SO THIS ONE YOU WANT A 10.
WELL, YEAH, THAT'S AN INTERESTING MAGAZINE.
MIKE SHOULD BE UNDER ALL KINDS OF PRESSURE.
HE'S GOT THE CONDO BOARD,
HE'S GOT HIS FAMILY WANTING HIM TO CHANGE,
HE'S GOT LEGAL RAMIFICATIONS FOR WHAT HE'S DOING,
HE'S GOT HIS IMPENDING SURGERY.
I MEAN, HE'S BASICALLY FACING DEATH, POSSIBLY.
AND YET HE DOESN'T REALLY SEEM TO BE STRESSED.
I DON'T THINK THAT MIKE HAS ANY INTENTION
OF TRUE RECOVERY AT ALL.
HE DOESN'T SEEM TO WANT TO CHANGE IN ANY WAY.
Mike: WELL, IF I DON'T MAKE THIS CHANGE NOW,
OBVIOUSLY, I COULD LOSE THE APARTMENT
AND NOT HAVE A PLACE TO LIVE.
CERTAINLY, AFTER SURGERY, YOU KNOW,
I'M MUCH MORE VULNERABLE THAN I AM NOW.
Narrator: A RECENT CANCER DIAGNOSIS
HAS SPURRED A CHAIN OF EVENTS
THAT HAS FORCED COMPULSIVE HOARDER MIKE
TO MAKE A DRASTIC CHANGE IN HIS LIFE.
Mike: I'M OPTIMISTIC.
I'M VERY OPTIMISTIC,
AND I BELIEVE I'M GONNA MAKE THE CHANGE.
Narrator: WITH LESS THAN TWO WEEKS BEFORE A RISKY SURGERY,
TODAY'S MASSIVE HAUL-AWAY IS HIS LAST CHANCE
TO CLEAR HIS APARTMENT OF THE HAZARDOUS CONDITIONS
THAT THREATEN HIS HEALTH.
HI, EVERYBODY. I'M DR. BECKY BEATON. I'M THE PSYCHOLOGIST.
AND TOGETHER...
THE MASSIVE EFFORT WILL BE LED
BY LICENSED PSYCHOLOGIST DR. BECKY BEATON.
HIS FAMILY AND A PROFESSIONAL CLEANING SERVICE
ARE ALSO ON HAND FOR SUPPORT.
IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE STICK TOGETHER AS A GROUP,
PARTICULARLY WITH THE FAMILY, AND WE SUPPORT MIKE
IN WHATEVER IS GOING TO BE FOR HIS BEST INTERESTS,
WHATEVER'S HEALTHY FOR HIM.
I KNOW THESE ARE YOUR BELONGINGS, MIKE,
AND I KNOW THAT YOU ULTIMATELY HAVE THE DECISION
OF HOW YOU WANT TO LIVE YOUR LIFE.
BUT FOR ALL OF US HERE,
WE NEED TO SUPPORT ONLY HEALTHY DECISIONS.
SO, IF YOU CHOOSE NOT TO MAKE THE HEALTHY CHOICES,
WE CAN'T ASSIST YOU IN THAT.
YOU CAN DO IT ON YOUR OWN, BUT WE CAN ONLY DO
WHAT'S IN YOUR BEST INTERESTS PARTICULARLY BECAUSE
THIS IS A BIOHAZARD CONDITION.
VERY FEW PEOPLE HAVE ACTUALLY EXPERIENCED
THE KIND OF STRESS THAT MIKE SHOULD BE FEELING RIGHT NOW
WITH THIS IMPENDING SURGERY
AND HIS HOME AND THE CONDITION THAT IT'S IN.
BUT SOMEHOW HE DOESN'T SEEM TO BE AS CONCERNED
AS EVERYBODY ELSE IS.
[ INDISTINCT CONVERSATIONS ]
WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO CLEAN UP MIKE'S HOME,
BUT HIS ABILITY TO ACTUALLY CHANGE
IS NOT LOOKING VERY GOOD RIGHT NOW.
THE MOMENT HAUL-AWAY BEGAN,
MIKE CLIMBED ON TOP OF HIS MOUNTAIN
AND HE STAYED THERE LIKE A DRAGON ON HIS LAIR.
THE FACT THAT MIKE PLANTED HIMSELF
RIGHT ON TOP OF HIS MOUNTAIN
AND HE KNEW THAT HIS FAMILY WASN'T GONNA GO IN THERE,
HE KNEW I WASN'T GONNA GO IN THERE,
IT WAS A WAY OF KEEPING HIMSELF SEPARATE FROM EVERYBODY ELSE
IN ADDITION TO BEING ABLE TO GUARD HIS HOARD.
Mike: THEIR INTENTION IS TO HELP ME,
BUT, YOU KNOW, I STILL BELIEVE
THAT I SHOULD HAVE SOME SAY IN THE MATTER.
I MEAN, IT'S MY STUFF, AND I THINK I SHOULD BE ALLOWED
TO KEEP, YOU KNOW, A FEW THINGS.
WITH HIM BEING ON TOP OF THE PILES,
HE'S CONCAVING IT ON OUR GUYS.
OUR GUYS ARE TRYING TO HAVE STABILITY UNDER THEIR FEET.
AND WHEN HE'S CONCAVING IT, THEY'RE GETTING SWALLOWED.
THINGS JUST KEPT COMING DOWN ON US -- THE ITEMS, THE DEBRIS.
'CAUSE EVERYTHING THAT MICHAEL WAS TRYING TO SALVAGE,
HE WAS MAKING BIGGER PILES, AND IT JUST SEEMED LIKE
THE PROCESS WAS NEVER-ENDING BECAUSE HE KEPT TRYING TO SORT THROUGH IT.
Ruth: MY FEARS FOR MIKE
IS THAT HE CAN'T LET GO OF THE CONTAMINATED THINGS
AND THAT HE PUTS HIMSELF AT RISK
BECAUSE HE WILL WANT TO KEEP THESE THINGS IN HIS HOUSE
AND THAT HE MAY END UP GETTING A LIFE-THREATENING INFECTION
AFTER SURGERY.
Narrator: WHILE MIKE CONTINUES TO HINDER PROGRESS INSIDE,
OUTSIDE, THE TEAM HITS AN UNEXPECTED ROADBLOCK OF ITS OWN.
MICHAEL!
Malinda: ALL OF A SUDDEN, THE BALCONY STARTED TO COLLAPSE.
THE RAILING CONCAVED IN.
AND THAT'S HORRIFIC FOR ANYBODY TO HAVE TO DEAL WITH
AND HAVE TO BASICALLY STOP EVERYTHING YOU'RE DOING
TO HELP YOUR CREW MEMBERS.
IT WAS GONNA COME CRASHING DOWN ON THE ENTIRE CREW.
THE WHOLE BALCONY WAS ABOUT TO GO.
HURRY UP AND GET THE LADDERS, GUYS! COME ON!
IT'S FALLING APART! THE BALCONY AND EVERYTHING!
LET'S GO! GET THE LADDERS UP!
[ CLANGING ]
Malinda: MICHAEL.
THERE WAS A REALLY SCARY MOMENT TOWARD THE END OF THE DAY
WHERE THE ACTUAL CHUTE THAT THE BIOHAZARD TEAM HAD SET UP
WAS STARTING TO FALL OFF OF THE RAILING.
IT WAS DEFINITELY A VERY SERIOUS REMINDER
OF HOW DANGEROUS THE SITUATION WAS.
Malinda: BRENDAN, HELP HIM WITH THIS LADDER.
THIS WHOLE THING'S ABOUT TO COLLAPSE. COME ON.
WE BASICALLY HAD TO WORK QUICK,
GET THE LADDERS UP AND GET THE CHUTE DOWN
BECAUSE THE WHOLE BALCONY WAS ABOUT TO GO.
ALL RIGHT, LET IT GO. DROP. DROP. GOOD.
WE COULD HAVE LOST SOMEBODY.
IT COULD HAVE JUST BEEN TREACHEROUS.
WE COULD HAVE HAD HOSPITALIZATIONS.
IT COULD HAVE BEEN A TURN FOR THE WORSE.
ALL RIGHT, NOW GET EVERYTHING OFF THE BALCONY
AND YOU THREE GET OFF THAT BALCONY.
PLEASE.
Narrator: WITH THE TRASH CHUTE NO LONGER OPERATIONAL,
THE TEAM HAS NO CHOICE BUT TO CALL IT QUITS FOR THE DAY,
CUTTING SHORT PROGRESS THAT HAD BARELY JUST BEGUN.
I WAS DEVASTATED WHEN I REALIZED
WE DIDN'T EVEN FILL HALF A DUMPSTER.
AND WE JUST MADE A DENT. WE JUST MADE A DENT.
I DON'T EVEN THINK IT WAS 10%.
I DON'T KNOW -- I STILL DON'T KNOW HOW IT'S GOING TO PROCEED.
Narrator: JUST DAYS AFTER THE ATTEMPTED CLEANUP OF HIS APARTMENT,
MIKE ENTERED THE HOSPITAL FOR CANCER SURGERY.
PRIOR TO THE SURGERY, OF COURSE I WAS CONCERNED AND NERVOUS.
BUT I KNEW I HAD THE BEST SURGEONS
AND I WAS IN A GREAT HOSPITAL.
Narrator: FORTUNATELY FOR MIKE, THE SURGERY WAS A SUCCESS.
AND AFTER NEARLY SIX WEEKS OF REHAB,
HE HOPES TO RETURN HOME IN JUST A MATTER OF WEEKS.
AND WHILE HE ULTIMATELY GAVE HIS SIBLINGS PERMISSION
TO CLEAN UP THE APARTMENT WHILE IN THE HOSPITAL,
MIKE HAS YET TO SEE THE OUTCOME UNTIL TODAY.
I MEAN, CERTAINLY IT WAS HARD BEING AWAY
AND NOT KNOWING WHAT WAS HAPPENING TO THE APARTMENT.
HEY, MIKE.
Elise: LOVE THE RUG.
Ruth: WHAT DO YOU THINK?
[ CHUCKLES ] OH, VERY NICE.
I WAS A LITTLE NERVOUS ABOUT IT.
AND WHEN HE CAME IN AND I SAW,
IT WAS ALMOST LIKE HE HAD A FLAT AFFECT.
IT WAS AS THOUGH IT WAS JUST -- HE COULDN'T EXPRESS ANYTHING.
AND I KNOW IT WAS VERY DEEPLY DIFFICULT FOR HIM.
WANT TO TAKE A LOOK AROUND?
Mike: YEAH, THERE'S A LOT OF RELIEF
THAT THE APARTMENT IS CLEANED UP
AND THAT I'LL BE ABLE TO LIVE HERE IN THE VERY NEAR FUTURE
AND BE ABLE TO LEAD A NORMAL LIFE.
WHAT DO YOU THINK?
OH! THAT LOOKS GREAT!
OH, SWEETIE.
VERY NICE.
THIS IS WEEKS AND WEEKS AND WEEKS OF WORK
TO GET TO THIS POINT.
THE WALLS HAVE BEEN SCRUBBED DOWN TWO OR THREE TIMES,
AND THEN THEY WERE SPRAYED WITH ANTIMICROBIAL TWICE.
YOU KNOW, THE FLOORS -- I MEAN, EVERYTHING.
EVEN THOUGH IT LOOKS SO RUN-DOWN,
THIS IS SO MUCH BETTER THAN IT WAS.
THERE'S STILL A LOT OF WORK TO DO,
BUT I FEEL GOOD THAT WE'VE DONE EVERYTHING WE CAN.
WELL, NOW THAT WE HAVE IT EMPTIED OUT,
NOW WE BEGIN THE REPAIRS AND FIXING THINGS UP.
LOTS OF REPAIRS TO THE WALLS AND THINGS AND THEN A PAINT JOB.
I'M VERY POSITIVE
THAT WE GAVE MIKE A SECOND CHANCE
TO HAVE THE BEST LIFE POSSIBLE.
I SEE WE'RE ON THE WAY
TO GETTING THE CONDO BACK IN A LIVABLE CONDITION.
Ruth: YEAH, A LOT OF WORK,
BUT WE NEED YOUR COOPERATION ON KEEPING IT CLEAN.
OKAY. YOU HAVE MY COOPERATION.
GREAT.
Mike: THERE'S NOT A DOUBT IN MY MIND
THAT WHAT HAPPENED IN THE PAST WILL NEVER HAPPEN AGAIN.
HOW DID YOU DO COMING UP THE STEPS?
Steve: THE UNIT IS DRASTICALLY DIFFERENT
THAN THE LAST TIME WE WERE HERE.
YOU KNOW, I THINK IT'S WONDERFUL THAT HE HAS A CLEAN SLATE.
AND THERE'S AT LEAST AN OPPORTUNITY.
IT'S A HELL OF A LOT BETTER THAN IT WAS.
I KNOW IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT AND TIME-CONSUMING AND --
BUT, YEAH, I WANT TO THANK THE THREE OF YOU
FOR DOING SUCH A GREAT JOB AND MAKING ALL THIS POSSIBLE.
YOU'RE WELCOME.
I THINK I HAVE A NEW PERSPECTIVE ON LIFE
AND, REALLY, THERE'S BEEN A TRANSFORMATION.
AND, YOU KNOW, I'M GONNA MAKE SURE THAT IT STAYS THAT WAY.