LOST EVERYTHING in Fort Lauderdale flood 4-12-23.

STEVE JOBIN is organizing this fundraiser.

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One storm changes your whole life!

I live or should I say "lived" in a duplex in the Edgewood neighborhood of Ft. Lauderdale. I’m sure most of you have heard about the 1000-year flood we experienced on Wednesday, April 12th. Well, I experienced it from the top of my kitchen counter, watching the flood waters rise around me. The water stopped before reaching the counter height so fortunately I was not hurt. The water did do damage to most of my belongings and my car is a total loss.

The Fire department rescued me and brought me to the Red Cross staging area and from there I made it to my sisters in Pompano Beach where I am staying temporarily.

The water receded enough by Monday to finally get in and see if anything was salvageable. Unfortunately, there wasn’t much that wasn’t soaked in sewer water. All my family photos and mementos are gone. I’ve spent the last week cleaning up and emptying my home of the last 7 years. It’s not easy to see your life in a pile on the street, watch your transportation towed away and realize you are now homeless! I expect it’s going to take a couple of months or more for my landlord to renovate the structure so I can move back in.

Fortunately, the feral cats we care for all survived and returned during the week. A bright spot in all of this, being the animal lover that I am. I’m also looking forward to getting back to work at Marando Farms and Ranch in Davie. I miss my work family and all the animals. It will be nice to get some normalcy back.

I’m just taking one day at a time for now and must admit I'm feeling a bit lost. A friend suggested the GoFundMe site, so I'm hoping I can raise enough to start rebuilding my life. I'll have to replace things little by little.

I know times are tough and people are struggling but if you happen to be blessed with some good fortune, any help you could give would be GREATLY appreciated. It kills me to have to ask for help but right now I don't have a choice.

Thanks in advance for your prayers and support,

Steven