Help Young College Couple Rebuild After Flood

My name is Abby, and my boyfriend Cole and I—both 21 and college students—are just beginning our lives together here in Texas. We were living at Shady River RV Park when the devastating floods hit earlier this month, and in just a few hours, everything we had built together was gone. Our RV was completely destroyed. All of our belongings, our memories, our little home—washed away.

We were lucky to get ourselves and our animals out safely, and that alone is something we’re so thankful for. Since then, we’ve been able to find housing, and the incredible kindness of friends, family, and strangers helped cover most of our rent and deposit. That generosity has carried us through these first few weeks—but now we’re at a point where we still need help to keep going.

Shortly after the flood, the Austin American-Statesman wrote a story about us. It was during those first painful days, when we were trying to salvage anything we could from the wreckage. We were exhausted, in shock, and heartbroken. Things have improved since then—we’ve had support, and we’ve made progress—but the truth is, we’re still struggling. We’re rebuilding from nothing, and each day brings new challenges.

I’m currently a student at Texas State University, working hard toward my dream of becoming a first grade teacher. Cole is continuing his education at Austin Community College. School starts again soon, and we’re doing everything we can to stay on track, but right now we’re overwhelmed. We need help with essentials like furniture, groceries, and school supplies—just the basics to get us through this next chapter.

This is the hardest thing we’ve ever been through, and asking for help is not easy. But we’re at a point where we can’t do it alone. If you’re able to support us, even in the smallest way, it truly means more than we can express. And if you can’t give, please consider sharing our story.

Thank you for reading, for caring, and for helping us hold on to hope as we start over.