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Figert-Reynolds Family Tornado Repairs Lakeland Fl

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We have a habit of saying - we don’t need a thing.  We’re in a bind though.  SurrogacyX2, FMLA, and Tornado don’t all go together very well.  While achieving our dreams of parenthood - we cut some other corners and one was homeowners insurance on our primary unfortunately.  Any help will be so appreciated and PLEASE SHARE THIS FUNDRAISER ON YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA CHANNELS.  On Friday October 18th we survived an EF2 tornado that hit our community packing winds of 120 mph, 1/3rd of a MILE WIDE and caused severe damage and total demolition of many  homes and a  school in the area.   We had received alerts of storms traveling north through Florida and were up watching the news for a few minutes before the storms and called my grandmother to be sure she was awake since her bedroom is under some trees on the same family property where our home is as well.  We were contemplating taking the boys up to her house but before we knew it - it was too late to make that decision.  We could hear the train sound outside and saw power lines lit up as the storm closed in.  We rushed to grab the babies In the dark as the power went out right at that moment - we KNEW the storm was getting close.  With Scott and our 3 month old huddled behind me and our 2 year old under me while I threw boxes from the closet we made it into the closet.  The boys were still asleep but our 2 year old was getting cranky from being moved from his bed.  Scott and I had started to accept that we were possibly  going to die but we we’re trying to shield the boys as best as possible with our bodies and things we could find in the closet. We felt  the home lift or vibrate and felt wind blowing even in the closet we were in.  i recall wondering if we were flying (Wizard of Oz).  I was sure once the noise and air sucking stopped that it would come back or that when we opened the door everything would be gone.  The command center for the storm after it passed was set up  at the church across the street from us.  We were initially trapped in our home by a very large tree that fell on our home And blocked the front door. The porch at the other door had been blown away and the door blown into the house.  One of the walls with more windows than the others appears to have been sucked out of the home considerably.  We are still finding new damages so the numbers are adding up.   We  wonder if the tree that fell on the roof saved it from being sucked off when we felt the wind in the closet.  It punctured the roof in 5 places and gave us a lot of new friends that we have killed now.  Ants.  By the grace of god we survived but we have repairs.  Having just completed a total of two different surrogacy journeys to grow our family of 4 - we could use some help.  I’m still on FMLA and Scott is a stay at home dad.  Repairs and 2 kids 2 or under in diapers is seeming impossible.  We need a new roof, porch, and new siding.   Multiple windows crushed and cracked and tree limbs punctured through the home in the master bathroom.  Our 2 year old sons bedroom flooded.  The entire front left side of the home suffered water damage from the tree falling at the beginning of the storms during g the tornado and there was also water damage at the other front door that blew in.  Anything anyone can give will be appreciated and help get back to normal on an already limited budget.
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Donations 

  • Jeanna Cochran
    • $50 
    • 4 yrs
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Organizer

Mike Reynolds
Organizer
Lakeland, FL

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