Rescued After the Storm

“There was a loud boom of lightning, and it scared me, it woke me up,” Beth remembered. “And the kids were already awake.  I hear them screaming for me to come.”

A few years ago, Beth and her husband Albert adopted their two grandkids as their own. When Tropical Storm Imelda slammed South East Texas, Beth and Albert’s main concern was their grandchildren’s safety.

“I ask them are they OK and they say, ‘Yes,’” Beth remembered. “So when I walked in the hallway, I noticed there was more water all over the ground. And by the time I got on the phone and called my husband it had already come up like 2-3 inches in the house. And I started looking down at the floor, and there’s minnows swimming in my kitchen. It was up to my knees by the time I got to the truck.”

They drove to Albert’s sister’s house, and safely rode out the storm. A few days later, Beth returned to their home.

“I had people tell me it’s just material stuff,” said Beth as she broke down in tears. “It’s not the material stuff, it’s the stress and the pain of having to walk through it over again.”

With no insurance, Beth was scared they’d go through the painful recovery alone. That’s when she got an unexpected text.

“My fourth-grade teacher for Caitlyn, texted me and asked if I needed some help,” Beth said. “3 or 4 hours later someone showed up at my house with an application to Operation Blessing.”

A few days later, a team of volunteers arrived at their house, ready to help the family get back on their feet.

“I became overwhelmed when I seen you walking up,” said Beth smiling. “That’s when I started crying, I was like, ‘Thank you!’ You guys came in and rescued me, that’s what you did.”

“You helped me pack up my house; get that stuff put it in the shed,” said Beth. “They checked the walls.  They saw where it was wet and they cut out every bit that needed cut out. Pulled the sheet rock and insulation and cleaned all that up. Tore the refrigerator apart to get that out the door. Checking everything to make sure that it’s a safe environment.”

Now Beth and her family are ready to move forward, and they know they’re not alone.

“You coming out and taking your time, and your donations, and your work, shows us that we do matter,” Beth said. “Thank you so much for your help, thank you.”