Help Ayn and Roy Recover After Hurricane Helene

My parents Ayn and Roy LeBlanc moved to St Pete, Florida in the heat of the summer of 1988. My mom was 8 months pregnant, and my dad had just got a new job with the St Petersburg Times. They knew no one, and had nothing, literally making bookshelves from cinder blocks, but were so excited at the chance to make a home for their family in one of the most beautiful places they'd ever been.

Over 36 years, they built a life, made a community, and raised a family in that most beautiful of places. Once settling in Shore Acres, my parents never moved — spending 36 years worth of birthdays, anniversaries, holiday celebrations, graduations and losses all in one house. We once won second place in a neighborhood contest for our Christmas decorations. My parents raised my brother and I in that house, hosted an untold number of friends, guests, and family, and made a lifetime's worth of memories. Despite this, the increasing frequency of major hurricanes over the last few years led them to the hard decision that it was time to leave. In 2024 my Dad would turn 70 and finally retire. Once done, the plan was for my Mom and him to join me, my husband, and our two kids in Long Beach, California.

Before any of that could happen, despite the landfall being more than 150 miles away, on Sept. 26 Hurricane Helene hit Florida and flooded their home for the first time in 36 years. They evacuated along with their dog Bailey and the precious photos and heirlooms they could fit. The house took on 3 feet of water and almost everything they owned was destroyed.

Besides the house, they lost appliances, clothes, shoes, furniture, electronics, my dad’s car, and 36 years worth of belongings. But it’s the irreplaceable things - the loss of my Mom’s jewelry, heirlooms, photos, and the only two videos of her sister Lyn - that hurts the most.

My Dad turned 70 on Oct. 1, and spent his birthday saying goodbye to his albums, books, movies, vintage movie posters, and baseball cards — vast collections amassed over a lifetime going back to the 1960’s and even ‘50’s — that he had hoped to finally spend time enjoying in retirement.

Despite the devastating emotional and financial loss, we are grateful for their lives. We know many weren't as lucky and there is so much suffering still happening all over. My parents have been blessed with the support of their friends Joy and Allen to keep a roof over them in the short term while they recover, but due to Milton, recovery has been slow. They are still without power.

Sitting 3,000 miles away in California, I feel utterly helpless — as I know so many of their friends and family do. I am starting this gofundme as a way to get my parents out of Florida, and safely retired with me and their grandkids. In the short term, money is needed to cover housing and cleanup. In the long term, I hope to replace some of the things they lost and help them permanently relocate. With their house nearly destroyed, the financial support we were depending on to help finance their move has been wiped out. Even with insurance money — it won't come close to making up for the total loss of their home.

I ask for help on behalf of Ayn and Roy, who would never ask for support themselves. I ask for help on behalf of Evie and Sam who want to have their Nana and Daddy-Pops close by. I ask for help on behalf of myself, who would do absolutely anything for my Mom and Dad.

Thank you for reading and for all of the love, prayers and goodwill being sent our way. Everyone's concern and well-wishes are deeply felt, and remind me of the incredible impact I know my parents have had on so many. Every little bit is so, so appreciated and will go so far in helping ease the recovery of this life-changing loss. I will keep this site posted with updates as I can <3