Rebuild Hope for Rani Valente's Family

I am Shirin Vesely, a Pinellas County resident for 25 years. My dear friend and colleague, Rani Valente, and her family lost their Treasure Island home, their vehicles, and all of the home's contents during Hurricane Helene. Rani and her husband, Tony, moved into their home thirty years ago and raised two beautiful daughters there. They lost everything they own and only escaped with the clothes on their backs and their two kittens.

First, the home flooded about 4 feet. They sat on the kitchen counters as the water rose. Then, a lithium battery fire started in their garage. The garage door and front door couldn’t be opened because of all the water outside. They escaped out of a window with their 2 kittens and made it across the street in chest-high water to a neighbor who rescued them. Their house burned to the ground. They feel blessed and grateful to have made it out alive and are safe now. They are staying between family and friends now and beginning to rebuild. Thanks for your prayers and kind consideration.