Home Body Brothers Found Items Eslpod Collyer Inside

In 1947, the Collyer brothers "became a household name" (became well-known and a normal topic of conversation) when they were found dead inside their home in New York City. The brothers were "obsessive" (cannot stop oneself from doing something) collectors and hoarders who had filled their home with more than 140 tons of books, furniture, instruments, and other items. They had created "tunnels" (passageways through things) that they could "crawl" (move on one's hands and knees) through, as well as "booby traps" (a small device that surprises or harms someone who unknowingly touches it) to catch "intruders" (people who enter a building or property without permission).

In 1947, a neighbor called to complain about the smell of "decomposition" (the process through which a body breaks down after death) coming from the home. Police officers had trouble getting into the home, because there were so many things inside it. They began pulling items out of the home and, after five hours, found the body of one of the brothers, Homer Collyer. Eighteen days later, as they continued to pull items out of the home, they found the body of Langley Collyer. "Apparently" (seemingly), Langley had died when he "tripped" (activated) one of the booby traps and was "buried" (with one's body covered by something) under the "debris" (garbage). His older brother, Homer, who was "paralyzed" (unable to move his body), apparently died of "starvation" (a lack of food to eat).

Most of the items in the home were "deemed" (determined to be) "worthless" (not able to be sold for money). The structure of the home was unsafe, so it was destroyed. Today, a "pocket park" (a very small park between buildings in large cities) stands at the "site" (location) of the "former" (no longer in existence) home.