She Escaped Abuse and Built a New Life—Literally, Brick by Brick

When faced with adversity, some people find strength they never knew they had. Cara Brookins is one such person.

After enduring an abusive marriage, she made the brave decision to leave with her five children and start over.

What she did next is nothing short of remarkable—she built her family a new home from the ground up, without any prior construction experience.

Back in 2007, Cara was working as a computer programmer analyst. With limited finances and five children to care for, buying a spacious, comfortable home was simply out of reach.

But instead of giving up, she took a bold step: she decided to build her own house.

Armed with determination and YouTube tutorials, Cara taught herself how to lay a foundation, frame walls, install plumbing, and even run a gas line.

Her children, whose ages ranged from 2 to 17 at the time, were right there beside her, helping every step of the way.

“I felt like anyone in our situation would do this,” Cara said in an interview. “In retrospect, I know it sounds a little crazy.”

She purchased a one-acre plot of land for $20,000 and secured a construction loan of approximately $150,000.

Her teenage son helped draw the blueprints, and her 11-year-old daughter Jada carried buckets of water from a neighbor’s pond to mix concrete for the foundation.

After school each day, the family worked together at the construction site, gradually turning a dream into reality.

To assist with the more technical tasks, Cara hired a part-time firefighter with building experience for $25 an hour. But the majority of the work was done by Cara and her kids.

Two years later, on March 31, 2009, the family moved into their completed 3,500-square-foot home, which they named Inkwell Manor—a tribute to Cara’s lifelong dream of becoming a writer.

“We were embarrassed that building our own shelter was our best option,” she later reflected.

“But in the end, it became the most empowering thing I could have done.”

Today, Cara uses her story to inspire others.

“If I—a 110-pound mom with no construction background—can build an entire house with five kids, then you can achieve whatever you set your mind to,” she said.

Her advice? “Decide on one goal and stick with it. Take small steps every day, and surround yourself with people who are also ready to grow and heal. There’s incredible power in that.”

This inspiring journey reminds us that strength often comes from the most difficult circumstances.