My name is Ellie Honneus and I owe my life to a sturdy roof. In the 1960s, my grandma sought refuge on her house's top story while a mudslide tore through her brand new home during Hurricane Flora. Had her roof not held, she wouldn't have survived to come to America and ultimately have my mom, who then had me.

My grandma's story reminds me of how anyone's life can change in an instant and how lucky I am that she was able to rebuild. Her story gives me empathy for others who need the same chance to remake their lives after a natural disaster.