Saving the family home

The winds were so strong, our front door was blowing open. My dad held it shut with a cooler and a mini fridge. We used weights to keep the other doors shut.

Meanwhile, my mom and I were collecting the water that was pouring in.

Our damage was isolated to 150 square feet of the ceiling.

If we had not been there, gallons of water would have soaked into the carpet and walls after the winds whipped the doors open.

Since the storm my biggest struggle has been time management.

I had a plethora of folks asking for help getting trees off of houses, clearing paths to the road and getting roofs tarped. Our family may not be “professionals” but our tarps are holding up.

It was crazy balancing all the requests.

Now, I’m working full time and getting business stuff taken care of.  It’s challenging to accomplish everything in a day. 

I have lived in Panama City my entire life. This is my home. Leaving would be like betraying it.

If it wasn’t for my school and church experiences and people investing in me, I wouldn’t be who I am.

As the community rebuilds, I hope residents, business owners, churches, and local government can become more forward thinking than in years past. We need to look for ways to improve this great area. We need to provide opportunities to grow.