Anonymous gift pays off Oso mudslide survivor’s mortgage

Published 4:45 pm Wednesday, April 22, 2015

ARLINGTON — An anonymous donor has paid off the mortgage of Oso mudslide survivor Tim Ward, whose wife, Brandy, was killed in the disaster and whose home was destroyed.

JPMorgan Chase said in an email Wednesday that the remaining money owed on the loan, more than $350,000, was paid last week by another client of the bank who “wanted to make a difference” after hearing about Ward, who has been renting in Arlington.

The mudslide on March 22, 2014, killed 43 people and left some survivors with mortgages on houses that no longer exist. Some lenders have forgiven loans but others have not.

Like others, Ward had been working with a non-profit housing services group to resolve outstanding mortgages.