Samaritan’s Purse is helping communities in the Tampa/St.Petersburg area that were hit by back-to-back hurricanes.
Dale and Tracey Wallace scrimped and saved for decades to buy their dream home on the harbor in Madeira Beach, Florida. They signed the papers and moved in 2013.
Drywall and flooring are the first to go to avoid dangerous mold growth of taking over.
“It was a year after I retired,” Dale said. “I don’t know how two retirees from county civil service could afford it, but she can squeeze a dime out of a penny or something.”
They’d both served long careers in local law enforcement in Florida. They’d both seen many storms, but Tampa rarely experienced direct assault. September 26 was one of those rare days.
Hurricane Helene roared ashore with storm surge that forced waves of water and dangerous debris into homes. Sand dunes formed at residences and on thoroughfares after the powerful winds and fast-moving water carved out and carried sections of beach into yards and homes.
Hundreds of homes and businesses were under feet of water. Many were fully submerged. All manner of debris floated into yards—shipping containers, large metal dumpsters, drift wood, and plenty else. And the insides of many homes mirrored the devastation all around them.
The drywalled interior of the Wallaces’ home had soaked up the heavy seas, and much of it crumbled. Furniture, cabinets, insulation, and every other thing they owned had floated loose and was heaped in a mess throughout the home. Nothing inside was left untouched.
Prayer was welcome and the other kind of heavy lifting that Dale and Tracey needed.
The damage to the structure and roof made them wonder whether, in the end, they’d still have the home they’d enjoyed for a decade. “The county may come in and tell us we have to rebuild,” Dale said.
This was heavy on his mind just days after the storm when Samaritan’s Purse teams arrived on their street and began work on their home. Volunteers helped Dale remove ruined belongings along with walls and flooring where mold had started to form.
Returning After a Second Hurricane Passes
In midst of all this, a second hurricane, Milton, threatened the area and forced evacuations before it barreled across the peninsula. As he returned home again, Dale was grateful and surprised to see his home and his neighbors’ homes still standing as he returned to the island.
Volunteers wheel out debris onto streets lined with the insides of flooded homes.
And he was overjoyed to see the Samaritan’s Purse trucks again rolling back down his road. An army of orange shirts and a few familiar faces piled out and picked up where they’d left off.
“There are no words to describe the emotional relief when you see orange shirts, and you meet these volunteers from all walks of life and from all over the country and Canada,” Dale said. (The Disaster Relief Unit stationed in Tampa/St. Petersburg came down from the Samaritan’s Purse affiliate office in Canada.)
The Wallaces said the volunteer work was top-notch and absolutely critical if they hoped to have a chance to return to their home and make it livable again. But it was the prayers and encouragement of volunteers and chaplains that strengthened them to face the challenges with hope.
“Every time you turn around, you’re getting more prayers and encouragement. It’s just incredible,” Dale said, recounting how often volunteers would stop what they were doing to pray for him and Tracey.
Days later as we completed work at their home, the volunteers presented a special Billy Graham Study Bible signed with notes of encouragement inside from everyone who worked on their home.
“Thank you for blessing us. It’s just wonderful. It’s been miraculous,” Dale said.
