Help my dear friend Lynne rebuild from Ida
Donation protected
Please help one of my bestest friends Lynne Kurilovitch, 65, and her sister Patty, 77, with supplies and rebuilding of their childhood home in New Orleans after Hurricane Ida.
THE STORY: The Kurilovitch family has endured so much in the past few years to which I am absolutely taken aback by the strength of my dear friend Lynne and all that this family has endured:
- First Lynne's car lost control on a gravely road and she got in a car accident and broke her back.
- Then Lynne’s brother-in-law Steve (Patty’s husband) passed away.
- Next was Lynne’s husband (and my friend) Mike being diagnosed with Leukemia (still fighting, need prayers and good vibes in the cosmos for Mike).
- Next, Lynne’s only nephew Steven (and Patty’s only child) was diagnosed with brain cancer (still fighting, many prayers and good vibes into the cosmos needed for Steven), he has a 2-year-old son named Benjamin.
- Then, after Lynne’s sister Patty learned of her son’s diagnosis, she was so distraught that she got in a car accident and totaled her car and really injured her knee and ended up back in the hospital. Patty was later released to go home, but Lynne had to be in Arizona to look after her husband Mike who was fighting Leukemia, so she couldn’t be there in New Orleans to help Patty while she was at home. This was such a hard place for Lynne to be – wanting to care for her two closest loved ones over a thousand miles away from each other and not being able to be at both places at the same time. Also, Patty’s son Steven couldn’t assist his mom because he is battling debilitating brain cancer.
- Then Lynne’s sister Patty developed pneumonia and ended up back in the hospital.
- Then, after she was able to go home again, Patty had a heart attack bringing groceries into the house. Lynne received a call that it may be near the end of Patty’s journey on earth and that Lynne should try to come to New Orleans to see her. Mike’s infusions to try and kill the Leukemia were over for a while, so Lynne had a window of time to go see Patty. Patty lit up when Lynne arrived and had a turn-around with her condition. It was looking like Patty was going to be ok and they let her come home and Lynne could be there to help her.
- Then both Lynne and Patty were infected with COVID (both are fully vaccinated). Lynne recovered OK, but Patty’s condition is critical and she was placed in hospice care.
- Then Hurricane Ida hit New Orleans. I didn’t sleep that night and I checked in with Lynne often to get the updates. Some of the updates that I received were “Wind way bad, blew metal tool shed on our neighbor’s car port” and “Rain, wind, MANY leaks in roof, using plastic containers to catch water” and “Big tree blew down in yard” and “Patty coming home today from hospice, really freaked out, no power, no oxygen.” No power…anywhere. Lynne was able to get Patty home as no nursing homes were really able to care for patients and some were being evacuated to warehouses and left to die. But as you read in Lynne's texts to me previously, Lynne had concerns about Patty coming home, because they had no power to run the oxygen machine. Thankfully, they were protected by the powers that be and good Samaritan neighbors (some Lynne new and some she met that day) secured a generator and asked both Lynne and Patty to go stay with them so that Patty can have her oxygen and also a portable air conditioner to blow on her to keep her cool in the 100 degree, 100% humidity weather to make her more comfortable while she is at her end-of-life stage. No power for 3-4 weeks. Lynne not getting much sleep because at Patty’s bedside 24-7 at the neighbor’s house. Patty not sleeping much. The roof of their childhood home was destroyed with literal holes in the roof you can see the sky. Trees down in the yard everywhere. Lots of devastation.
The power came back on Tuesday, 21st of September. Ida hit the 29th of August. That is almost 4 weeks without power. Lynne and Patty are now home. But the following supplies and/or repairs are required to repair the damage of Hurricane Ida and get back to normal first world quality of life. Lynne and her sister Patty live a modest life and do not have a lot of money. If we could all donate whatever we can to help them with the repairs and supplies needed to recover from this final onslaught (Hurricane Ida) on their family, then they can focus on Patty at her end of life – and Steven – and Mike. God bless them all.
My friend Lynne is the kindest, most patient, STRONGEST person that I know. And she also very much needs your prayers and good vibes into the cosmos to help her endure all that has come her way these past few years, but especially most recently. I worry about my friend. Please help her and her family and keep all of them in your prayers.
Thank you so much and God Bless,
Amanda Rowe, Eastlake, OH
All donations will go directly to getting Lynne and Patty back up and running with the below necessary supplies and repairs:
3-4 heavy duty tarps to cover roof = $120*4 - $480
Tie down straps- $60
Electrical meter box pole replaced and inspection - $1500
New Roof - $8000
Tree and yard clean-up - $1600
Food replacement from refrigerator-freezer/deep freezer – $500
Money to pay back the neighbors for fuel and other for helping Lynne and Patty - $500
P.S. FEMA did grant them $1061. THAT IS IT.
Donation Goal $12,640-$1061 from FEMA = $11,579
What Ida looked like:
A picture of Lynne and me and her husband Mike and our friend Sean - some of my besties.
Me and Lynne at the Grand Canyon
Organizer and beneficiary
Amanda Rowe
Organizer
Eastlake, OH
Lynne Kurilovitch
Beneficiary