IVANHOE, Va. (WDBJ) – For the past five months, Cathy and Eric Blair have been forced to live in a trailer after they watched Hurricane Helene flood waters destroy their beloved Ivanhoe home.
“It’s the worst thing we ever been through,” said Eric. “The river just kept coming up and it washed it off the foundation. We lost everything we had.”
“It got up in the house, it was up five or ten feet. It ruined everything in it,” said Cathy.
But now, they’re celebrating a new beginning. God’s Pit Crew, a non-profit based in Danville, built them an entirely new home funded completely through donations.
“We brought a crew in and built the decks, done the underpinning, put them a new well in and moved the furniture in yesterday. It’s completely furnished,” said Doug Johnson, a volunteer with God’s Pit Crew. “So when they moved in, all they needed was their clothes to come and live in their home.”
They passed off the keys Thursday night, and after waking Friday morning in their new house, the Blairs still can’t believe it.
“It’s beautiful,” said Eric.
“Words can’t express it,” said Cathy. “And thank you can’t cover it either,” added Eric.
For the Blairs, it’s more than just a home. It’s the chance to finally move on from the devastation they faced after the hurricane.
“We’re putting it behind us; we’re ready to start over,” said Eric.
The Blairs’ home is just one of the 25 God’s Pit Crew is building this year. The homes are being built for Hurricane Helene flood victims across Virginia, North Carolina and Tennessee.
Johnson asks that anyone who wants to contribute and continue giving these families homes to donate at GodsPitCrew.org.
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