Tyler Perry shows support for 93-year-old South Carolina woman fighting developers
Tyler Perry at the world premiere of Marvel Studios Black Panther: Wakanda Forever held at the Dolby Theatre on October 26, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Gilbert Flores/Variety via Getty Images)
HILTON HEAD, S.C. - Tyler Perry is stepping up to help a South Carolina woman keep her home and land linked to her family since the Civil War.
WSAV reports that 93-year-old Josephine Wright has been fighting a development group who has been trying to force her to sell her land in Hilton Head to be part of a 147-unit neighborhood.
The great-great-grandmother was named in what she calls a "frivolous lawsuit" over what they say are parts of her home that are on their property.
The woman claims that after she refused, she had her tires slashed and trash thrown on the property.
"I've been a fighter all my life," she said, pointing to her family's history of escaping slavery before being freed by Union soldiers.
Her story got the attention of media mogul Tyler Perry, who was inspired by her description of her "fighter" nature.
"That makes two of us. Ms. Wright, please tell [me] where to show up and what you need to help you fight," Perry wrote on Instagram.
Wright's granddaughter Charise Graves set up a GoFundMe to help her cause.
It has since raised over $157,000 - $40,000 of which reportedly came from NBA star Kyrie Irving.
This is not the first time Perry has stepped up to help. Earlier this year, he donated $750,000 to the city of Atlanta to prevent legacy residents from being displaced by rising property values.