Flood devastation. Help is desperately needed!

My elderly brother, Robert, and his daughter, Sophia, are victims of the devastating flood that hit FT. Lauderdale, Florida in mid-April. The area that they live in received about 26 inches of rain in 24 hours. The duplex they bought just 18 months ago is severely damaged and needs major repair. Sophia works full time and provides much needed care for Robert. Sophia is bearing an enormous burden and is crushed emotionally and physically. They are in desperate need of help and they have a monumental challenge before them.

This is Sophia on a happy day before the flood.

This is Sophia after another day dealing with the flooded house. We managed to revive her.

They are currently living in temporary housing. Everything that they managed to salvage from the flood is in two pods parked in the driveway. They lost so much, as you can imagine. The water didn’t recede from the house for almost 48 hours. As you can see from the pictures, the demolition work inside of the house has started. Mold remediation is next, and then reconstruction will begin.

All the appliances are ruined, both kitchens and both bathrooms gutted.

What you can’t see in the pictures is that both air conditioning systems were ruined during the flood as mold started growing inside the air handlers and then spread to the ductwork. All of it will need to be replaced. In addition to that, all the appliances will have to be replaced, as will both water heaters.

They have flood insurance on the house, but it has its limits. They were told that if it didn’t get wet, it’s not covered. Thus the air conditioning systems are not covered at all. That is why I set a seemingly high goal for this fundraiser. They can’t move back in their house until it is deemed inhabitable and that won’t happen until both a/c systems are replaced, even if everything else is repaired.

If you are inclined to help with a donation of any size, please do. If not, please help them by sharing this with everyone you can. The more eyes we can get on this the better. I’m begging family and friends to help them relieve this enormous burden. Any amount will help. $5, $10, $25, $10,000.

Seriously, there is a real need here.

I live in central Virgina and I spent a week down there to help out. The pictures don’t really do it justice. It is much more of disaster than the images convey. I feel confident that when enough people see this, whether family or friends, the goal will be met. I’m continually amazed by the generosity, kindness and caring attitude of the American people! Please help. Please share this and encourage your friends to do so. I’ll be posting updates here as the situation changes.

All donated funds will go directly and only to the reconstruction of Rob and Sophia's house

Thank you so much for any help you can provide.