Help Chris Scott Rebuild

Hi, my name is Damion Aarons. I am starting this GoFundMe fundraiser to help my coworker, fellow Floridian, and friend Chris Scott, hurricane Ian severely impacted his family. I know we all have thought times, but I believe our real value to each other comes from how much we can come together in times of need. This is such a time.

I learned soon after the storm that Chris lost his home, but it was not until I sat with him two days ago that I understood his strength and why he needs our help.

On Tuesday I asked Chris for a ride to pick up my rental car, as I sat in his car thinking of the most prudent way to ask what his plans were since our project was over and he now had to go home to a destroyed home. I could not find the right words but as we spoke Chris had a smile and his face and seemed less bothered by his situation than I was. In my confusion, I needed to know how someone could have lost so much and still be smiling.

For you to understand the rest of the story, let me share a little insight.

Chris recently lost homeowners’ insurance because the company he was insured with left the state of Florida.

To get new insurance, he needed to pay out of pocket to get a new roof. His new roof was installed the day before hurricane Ian destroyed his home. Thus, leaving him uninsured with a total loss to his home. Now that you understand he had just lost everything and had no insurance, I am sure you are eager to know why he was smiling.

I finally found to courage to ask, Chris, I said, I am a little confused, how are you able to smile right now?

He said Damion, you really want to know why I am not falling apart right now? I said yes, I really need to know.

Chris said I had just redone my roof, the day before the storm, only to be denied insurance because now we had a storm approaching. The storm switched course and was now heading in our direction. As the storm approached, I kept communicating with my wife and son, I even asked them to leave the house behind. As the storm began to ramp up, I remember my wife saying the water is almost to the house, and within what seemed like seconds the water was in the house. Shortly after that, silence, nothing, no response to text messages, or calls for hours. Chris said those were the darkest hours of his life as he tried not to think of losing his wife and son in an instant. He told me that when he finally got a text message after midnight, explaining that the water had finally receded below the countertops and that his family was alive, he gained perspective. His family was alive after fearing for hours they were dead and that was the reason he could smile.

Please help Chris keep that smile on his face. Please give to a great cause, help a great friend, coworker, team leader, and most importantly a husband and father rebuild.