Help Susan Rebuild Her Life Post-Flood

My name is Susan Stowell and this is a photo of Downtown Marshall, NC, 4 days after the flood from Hurricane Helene. I moved into an awesome, spacious artists studio/live/work apartment on the 2nd floor of the white building on September 12th. I watched the flood waters rise quickly from my apartment on the morning of September 27th. I did not have time to find a safe place to evacuate to. The raging waters brought so much ginormous debris that crashed into my building, then was crashing around inside the building below my apartment. I was terrified, but the building held strong and I am safe. My car was submerged for more than 30 hours.

I am indefinitely displaced from from my home and waiting for government assistance to send an inspector to determine how/if they can assist me. I have lost my business and community, besides any other replaceable material things. The enriching experiences, connections, community, business opportunities, people, arts events and more, that I moved to Marshall for, are no longer there. I am working through some serious PTSD symptoms and started having nightmares from what I witnessed and experienced. I am not sure at all of what the future holds for me...if I'll stay or relocate. If this community will still even need the services that I offer through my business. Or if I have to reinvent myself once again and start over once again at my age, which feels so dang daunting. My friends tell me that I'm a BADASS survivor in a big way for coming through the flood situation. That may be true, but I also know that I am truly blessed and looked after in a powerfully divine way.

I have my family, my friends and my trusting, unconditionally loving cats, Kita Lolita, Jazzpurr and Merlin. I am grateful in advance to all the caring people who may feel guided to support me in a way that feels right to them. Any donations that are sent to me will be used for basic life needs like food, water, gas, living expenses like rent and utilities paid to my friend for housing me, finding a replacement car, and possibly moving expenses if relocating proves to be the best option for me. Thank you, thank you, thank you!