Carrie and Mike Winter found a once-in-a-lifetime love in middle age. Eleven years into their fairy tale, doctors diagnosed 53-year-old Mike with pancreatic cancer.
The couple decided they would travel anywhere and spend any amount of money to fight the disease. Months after the diagnosis in 2022, Mike hired Freedom Builders and its licensed contractor, Joel Reed, to build an addition next to their home.
Carrie said her husband, a former tile contractor, loved to create things and dreamed of a workshop where he could spend his final years doing what he loved.
According to the June 2022 contract, the couple paid Freedom Builders $67,694 toward the $260,948 project. Carrie said Joel Reed provided blueprints and replaced the septic system, but in 2023, he stopped responding to Mike.
Carrie Winter showed ABC Action News dozens of text messages on her husband's phone. Many of them appear to go unanswered.
In 2023, Mike's cancer spread. The Winters and Freedom Builders agreed to downsize the project, Carrie said, reroofing the main house and detached garage.
But, Carrie said, none of that work was ever done. ABC Action News checked with the county and found no record of a permit for the job.
Mike's last message to Joel Reed about a quote for the project went out on Sept. 26. He died one month later.
His widow emailed ABC Action News in January and asked for help getting her money back minus the cost of the drawings and septic system.
We left messages at Reed’s office and sent emails and text messages asking about the refund for the Winter project.
Days later, Winter said Reed called and offered to pay her back $49,000. We have connected her with state regulators at www.myfloridalicense.com if he does not return the money.
Winter told ABC Action News. “No one should have to go through this regardless of whether you have cancer or not. “
