Help Josh and Heather After Milton's Destruction

Quick read~

Milton ripped a hole under a young family’s home. Dad’s a truck driver and mom is a retail manager with 2 little kids. It will be an uphill battle to make restitution for their condemned home. They will need funds for a lawyer, engineer, tree company, some type of wrecker service, storage, and someone that can work with erosion damage. Please help how you can.

Our dear friends, Josh and Heather, are an amazing family with their 2 little boys. We’ve known Josh for 19 years. They are hardworking, kind, and helpful to everyone they know.

Milton brought heartbreaking destruction to so many in Florida. Much of it, native Floridians know, is some of the worst we’ve seen in Central Florida. Josh and Heather’s home in Lakeland was no exception. Wednesday night, as Milton blew in, Josh saw their trampoline float across the backyard along with transformers exploding. They are not near any bodies of water. Josh’s protective instinct set in, and he knew something wasn’t right. They loaded up the baby and their other young son and carefully drove in the storm to a family member's home. At least they made it out safely!

When returning Thursday morning, their world had been shattered and turned upside down. For reasons unknown at this point, the yard their son often played in had opened up. The foundation of their home is exposed, sidewalks collapsed, and Josh’s big ol' yellow truck looked like a low rider when it usually towers over tall men. The large tree in the front is extremely close to giving up and falling on top of the same corner of the house.

They were able to get out valuables and necessities, as much as they can, but everything else is left in the condemned house. They currently have a place to live, but it is not a long-term solution.

What they are facing now is many stressful and costly unknowns. And it’s all out of their hands. It will be up to experts and the insurance company. There is a high likelihood that Josh and Heather will be paying large amounts of money out of pocket to fight for coverage of their home. The costs are yet unknown, but are certain to be more than a hardworking middle-class family can shoulder on their own.

Times are not easy for many of us, but if you are in a position to donate any amount, it will go a long way to help a family stay afloat and lower stress levels for them and their children. There are so many costly unknowns in their future. These funds will help them get a lawyer, engineer, tree company, some type of wrecker service, storage, and someone that can work with erosion damage.