We never imagined that everything could change in a single moment.

As our plane landed, we received a video message from our house sitters. Water was pouring into the house, rising fast and unstoppable.

Our house sitters were caring for our home and animals when a sudden flash flood tore through everything. In minutes, chaos took over. They lost their pickup truck and many of their personal belongings. We lost our home, along with both of our vans — vehicles we rely on for daily life and livelihood.

Inside the house, the water rose so quickly that our dogs were floating on the sofa. Outside, we feared we might lose the donkeys. For a terrifying stretch of time, we truly did not know if they would survive. Our cats were scattered and frightened, and our house sitters were trapped in an extremely dangerous situation, doing everything they could to protect the animals.

By some miracle, lives were spared — human and animal — but the devastation left behind is overwhelming.

We are now facing urgent and unexpected costs, including:

Temporary accommodation while we try to recover

Food and essential supplies for our dogs, cats, and donkeys

Supporting our house sitters, who lost their vehicle and personal belongings in the flood

Repairs to our two vans, which are essential to our ability to rebuild and move forward

Despite being displaced and living in a warehouse with our three dogs and only one of our cats, our landlord is claiming on his own insurance saying that all the contents of the house was his.

Our other four cats and two donkeys had to be left behind for now — we visit them every day, desperate to have our whole family back together again.

We are grateful that we do have somewhere to move to, but it currently has not good access, running water or electricity. The support we receive will help us pay for the drive to be cleared, install a basic solar system, plumb water, and repair our vans so we can begin to rebuild a safe and stable life.

We are heartbroken, overwhelmed, and still trying to process how quickly everything changed. We never expected to ask for help like this, but the financial impact of this disaster is more than we can manage alone.

Any donation, no matter the amount, will go directly toward helping us recover, care for our animals, support our house sitters, and rebuild our lives after this traumatic event. If you’re unable to donate, sharing this page would mean just as much.

Thank you for your kindness, compassion, and support during one of the hardest moments of our lives.