Ute Gorny – Explainer Bear Villa: A truly inspiring story

Meet Ute, a truly remarkable woman who still believes in the magic of fate despite being terminally ill with a severe heart condition.

Originally from Germany, Ute was not dealt the best hand as a serious heart condition has meant that she has had to have palliative care treatment for almost three years.  More than this, though, the severity of her condition has left her unable to look after her two exceptional boys: a deaf, autistic 13-year-old and an 11-year-old foster son with multiple disabilities.

They both live with her ex-husband in Germany, and as she said, “I may not be happy with how things turned out between us, but I will always be thankful that he is looking after both of our sons.”

Last year, after an Airbnb’s (un)fortunate cancellation, Ute found herself in Spain for the first time in her life. She shared, “I had never even been interested in going to Spain on holiday. Now I am convinced that thanks to fate I have landed in one of the most beautiful places in the world.”

Benissa holds a special place in Ute Gorny’s heart

That place is Benissa, and thanks to a chance viewing of a property there, Ute has created a very special home, which she lovingly refers to as her ‘project’. On seeing it for the first time, she was enamoured with its openness, low walls, bougainvillaea, and endless charm and potential. What makes it really special, though, is the renovations that she has carried out to make it the perfect getaway for families with children similar to her own.

This was no easy task and included transporting unique furniture from Germany, renovating the entire property, and adding specialised equipment. The villa has been designed specifically with autistic children in mind because Ute knows first-hand how nearly impossible it is to find suitable accommodation.

She shared, “As well as autism, I also paid particular attention to people with hearing impairments or forms of mental illness.”

Explainer Bear Villa borne out of Ute Gorny’s desire to help others

This project, or ‘Explainer Bear Villa’ to give its proper title, has given her a new lease on life, and nothing gives her greater pleasure than reading all the emails from families asking to holiday with her. Ute understands that her guests are likely to be low-income families, so she provides them with an affordable price to match their circumstances.

She said, “I have no intention of making a profit as I have enough to live on with my pension. I am almost exclusively in the villa and enjoy bringing joy to my special host families.”

Seeing life through her eyes and her love for the simplest of things, like a beautiful sky, is truly inspiring. I can’t help but wonder if fate placed her in my path so that I could share her humbling story with the Euro Weekly News readers.

Those looking to learn more about the Explainer Bear Villa can do so by visiting Ute’s website