Homecoming

April 22, 2019

“My story is something else.”

Florine Fluhler was born and raised on St. John. The first of eleven children, she fondly remembers growing up on the island, “When I was growing up it was so fun. Everybody knew everybody and everybody would help each other. My mom, she liked meeting people and making them feel welcome and that’s a good thing because everybody wants to feel that way wherever they go.” For Florine, St. John is home. It’s her happy place.

Before Hurricane Irma made landfall in St. John on September 7th, 2017, Florine had no idea the storm would be as devastating as it was. “We didn’t expect things would be that bad. We were used to storms and we thought it’s okay I’ll stay here and everything will be okay.”

She sought shelter inside her home. “We decided let’s go downstairs in the little store room and we waited out the storm there. Wow. It was something else. I lost a lot of stuff.” Today, she refers to the small room as her rescue room. “I tell you I’m going to make a little shrine in that room because it rescued me, ya know? It rescued me and I’m going to fix it up.”

After Hurricane Irma, Florine made her way to South Carolina to stay with her daughter. “It was something else. It took me a little boat and three planes to get where I was going…I didn’t want to look back I just felt look ahead now…It doesn’t matter now…You know when you go through all of this there is no more fearfulness you just have to accept and move on.”

For over a year, Florine lived with her daughter and on November 13th, 2018 with the help of All Hands and Hearts volunteers, Florine was finally able to return home to the house she’s lived in for forty-six years. To the beautiful gardens she and her husband designed and built together. To her happy place. “While I was in the states I would buy a few things to restore my joy. You get used to loss and you have your life and you move on. I was glad that my daughter had a room and a bathroom for me…I’m getting settled. It’s a whole year. I get to get back to my garden and get back to cooking. I set up my little Christmas tree. I’m getting back in the groove.”

All Hands and Hearts Site Supervisor Matthew Raymond, or as Florine and her daughter like to call him “Matt the man,” and volunteers spent months helping rebuild Florine’s home. “All Hands and Hearts love them. To me, you know, it’s so wonderful. Very, very helpful. Look at this place you know? I’m so glad it’s back to looking nice…They did a fantastic job…Matt is so sweet.”

For Matt, the privilege was all his, “I am blessed to be part of something greater than myself that helps people such as Ms. Fluhler be able to call a place home once again.”