Mike OConnor

In 2019, after years of saving and sacrificing while living in a tiny apartment, my fiancée and I finally bought the only home we could afford. It was not a dream home, but it was ours. We were proud, hopeful, and excited to finally begin building a future. Less than three months later, everything changed. A neglected dike failed in Sainte-Marthe sur-le Lac(43 23e ave), and we lost everything we owned. Our home was destroyed before we had even truly settled into it. We lost personal belongings, clothing, furniture, memories, and the down payment we had worked so hard to save. Much of the furniture had been purchased on credit, leaving us with debt for things we no longer even had. We received some compensation, but it ultimately went toward paying for the house itself. It was nowhere near enough to rebuild our lives. After the disaster, we did what many people do when there is no other option: we worked. Constantly. We both took on full-time jobs along with part-time work just to survive and start over. We pushed ourselves physically and emotionally for years trying to recover from something that happened completely outside of our control. At one point, after losing everything, I told my fiancée that I had nothing left to give her and that if she wanted to leave, I would understand. Instead, we stayed together. Through everything, we became stronger as a couple. But the years since have taken a serious toll. Today, we are both dealing with health issues, burnout, and significant debt from trying to rebuild our lives after the flood and the economy. We have spent years trying to stay afloat financially and emotionally, and we have reached a point where we simply cannot do it alone anymore. We are very humble people. Starting this fundraiser is incredibly difficult for us. We are used to working through hardship privately and doing everything ourselves. But we are exhausted, and we need help finding stability again. Any support — whether through a donation or simply sharing our story — would mean more than we can express. Your kindness would help us reduce debt, recover financially, and finally begin healing from years of nonstop survival mode. Thank you for taking the time to read our story and for helping us believe that a fresh start is still possible.