Rebuilding a Life: Help After Displacement from Hurricanes

Thank you to those that have reached out to check in on me over the last couple of years. It’s been a roller coaster for sure.

Unfortunately, I am reaching out in need of help this time around.

So many of you have seen a new light in me, and I thank you for your support and connection. Many more of you know, I dislike asking for help.

This year, I packed up all I’d ever known and moved out of NY to pursue my next chapter. Then I was displaced by 3 hurricanes of different magnitudes. Debby only caused minimal wind damage, which I was able to repair and clean up. Emma even slept through it!

Helene flooded the house and neighborhood with feet of water. It looked like a war zone. It was like nothing I have ever seen before. There was no power for over a week and no access to the area for 4 days, which delayed the house cleanup. Most of the household items, along with the ability to live in the house are now gone. Several belongings I brought with me from NY were spared atop furniture, but not everything, unfortunately.

“Luckily,” Milton moved away enough that flooding wasn’t an issue, but the wind damage was seen by everyone in the area, and a neighbor’s roof was peeled off and ended up over and against the house.

In the midst of all of this, I have not been able to secure employment, not for lack of trying, but because of bouncing around between hotels, Airbnbs, evacuating, insurance appointments, contractor appointments, demoing, and spending 1-2 hours each way driving to and from the house. Now I’m living in an RV an hour from the house, which has only added to the difficulty in finding steady employment.

Helene also interrupted plans to head back to NY for a myriad of doctor appointments and testing in October.

I am back in NY at this time to hopefully get some medical answers, after attending services for my boyfriend’s father who unexpectedly passed away this week in NYC.

This is all so much, exhausting and overwhelming to say the least.

I would not ask for money unless I was really struggling, and I have found myself in that place now. The bills, expenses and repairs keep adding up.

This round of events has proven to be an anomaly and fully unexpected by everyone. Insurance and FEMA make promises for help and guidance, but they have yet to come through, and there are fights and delays every step of the way.

I know this is a hard time for many people, but I have found the need to reach out for help. Thank you for reading this far, and thank you for your consideration. ~Sarah