From Ruins to Renewal

Rising from the Storm

It all happened so quickly. The wind, the rain, the chaos—it felt like a nightmare we couldn’t wake up from. The hurricane came through with a force that no one could have imagined. We thought we were prepared, but nothing could have prepared us for this.

When the storm hit, it tore through our home like it was nothing. We watched, helpless, exposing everything we owned to the elements. The sound of cracking wood and shattering glass echoed through the house. Every gust of wind seemed to take a piece of our lives with it. In a matter of hours, everything we had worked for was gone.

Our antique furniture, once the pride of our home, was now nothing but debris. Priceless family heirlooms, collected over generations, were shattered and buried under rubble. The clothes on our backs were the only ones left untouched; everything else was soaked in contaminated water that filled every corner of the house.

It wasn’t just the destruction of things that hurt the most—it was seeing the fear in our dogs' eyes. They had always been our companions, our family, and in that moment, they were terrified, just like we were. The water was rising fast, and both of them nearly drowned trying to escape the flood. We could hear them crying as the waves surged higher, but we refused to give up on them. With every ounce of strength we had left, we pulled them to safety.

Even after the storm passed, it left a heavy silence in its wake. The house we once called home was nothing more than a shell, a reminder of how quickly everything can change. The air still carried the scent of seawater and debris, as if the storm was reminding us it wasn’t finished with us yet. Our dogs, once full of energy, now lay at our feet, shaking, traumatized by the chaos that nearly took their lives.

But in the midst of the wreckage, there was something unshakable within us. The storm may have taken our home, our possessions, but it didn’t take our faith. We knew we would rebuild—not just the physical walls of our house but the strength of our family, the love we shared, and the hope that tomorrow would bring new beginnings.

As we stood in the rubble, holding each other and comforting our dogs, we realized that we had survived the worst. And with that survival came a new determination to rise above the storm, stronger than before. Because, after all, the most important things—our lives, our love, and our faith—had weathered the storm. And that was enough to start over again.

We’re homeless, we’ve lost two cars, all our possessions are gone, we’re all traumatized but we’re hopeful. And with your help you can help us get back on our feet.

To my partners out there also struggling with drug or alcohol addiction, just remember, there’s nothing that a drink or drug won’t make worse. This is coming from an alcoholic and drug addict in there seventh year of recovery.