When Linda realized the magnitude of the floods, it was too late to evacuate. Linda’s parents built their Texas home from the ground up, so to leave it behind felt like leaving her story. She called for help and looked for the highest place where she could take refuge. Linda went to the attic and eventually broke through a skylight, using a cookie tin to collect rainwater while she waited to be rescued.
She survived, but the home her parents had built was left severely damaged. This is her story:
Saving what can be saved:
Over the years, the family house filled with family history: belongings, memories and pieces of several generations of life together.
All Hands & Hearts volunteers are helping Linda gut, repair and restore her family home, and throughout that process, they are also saving what they can.
For Linda, restoring the house means preserving the home her parents built and the memories it holds.
Finding familiar routines again:
The flooding changed nearly everything on Linda’s ranch. But as work on the house continues, some familiar routines are beginning to return. One of them is feeding the hummingbirds. Caring for the birds and looking after the animals around the ranch is something Linda can do again, now that she is coming out of survival mode. For Linda, watching the hummingbirds is part of this road.
Help Communities Rebuild for the Long Term
Recovery takes time long after the headlines fade. Every contribution directly funds sustained, long-term recovery efforts where they are needed most. Donate today to help families rebuild their homes and lives.
